HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Wheelchair Users (Staff Training)

Paul Holmes: To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of training undertaken by security staff at the House of Commons in dealing with wheelchair users.

Nick Harvey: Training in visitor care has been delivered by external specialists in recent months to mixed groups of police, security officers and visitor assistants. The training has concentrated on providing customer focused services to meet the high expectations of all visitors including wheelchair users.
	The training is judged to have been effective and the vast majority of wheelchair users have enjoyable visits to the House.

TRANSPORT

A6/A45

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to improve the Chowns Mill Roundabout at the A6/A45 interchange in Wellingborough constituency.

Stephen Ladyman: I regret that I am unable to bring forward any proposals for the major improvement of the A6/A45 Chowns Mill Roundabout at the present time.
	I have accepted the advice of East Midlands Regional Assembly that such an improvement is not a transport investment priority for the East Midlands in the period to 2015-16.
	However, the Highways Agency and Northamptonshire county council continue to work together to monitor, determine and provide minor improvements to help alleviate current operational problems at the junction, including provision of a footbridge for non-motorised users.

Bee Bee Developments

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions on transport provision in Northamptonshire his Department has had with Bee Bee Developments.

Gillian Merron: The Department has had numerous meetings with a range of developers across the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Growth Area, including Bee Bee Developments. The Department meets with developers in order to discuss ways of managing the impact of growth on the transport network.

Car Tax

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue has been generated by the premium rate phone line for the renewal of car tax since its introduction.

Stephen Ladyman: There is no premium rate phone line for the renewal of car tax. However, revenue earned from DVLA's national rate number 0870 8504444 for the renewal of car tax since its introduction to date is £454,535.46.

Chester Station

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to conclude the review of parking provision at Chester station.

Tom Harris: The Department is currently working with Network Rail, Arriva Trains Wales and Virgin Trains to develop plans for the expansion of car parking at Chester station, commensurate with the introduction of service improvements in December 2008.

Concessionary Travel

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide additional resources to local authorities implementing the free travel scheme for the elderly to compensate them for additional costs involved.

Gillian Merron: From April this year, older and disabled people have been guaranteed free off-peak local bus travel within their local authority area. The Government provided an extra £350 million in 2006-07 (and will provide a further £367.5 million in 2007-08) to fund the extra costs to local authorities arising from this move from half-fare to free local travel.
	From April 2008 we will extend this minimum concession further to include free off-peak travel anywhere in England. Up to an extra £250 million per year has been earmarked to fund this new national concession. Local authorities have retained, and will retain, the discretion to offer (and fund from their own resources) enhancements to the statutory minimum, such as peak bus travel and/or concessions on other modes.

Drink Driving

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) drivers and  (b) others were killed in crashes involving drivers who had exceeded the alcohol limit in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table shows the estimated number of fatal casualties in road accidents where at least one of the drivers or riders involved was over the legal limit:
	
		
			   Car drivers  Other road users (including pedestrians) 
			 2000 400 130 
			 2001 400 140 
			 2002 420 130 
			 2003 430 150 
			 2004 430 160 
			  Note: Estimated figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and therefore may not sum to previously published totals. 
		
	
	Final figures for 2005 are not yet available. Figures are estimated using data from the police and from coroners' records.

Driving Licences

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the system whereby drivers from outside the UK can drive within the UK for up to 12 months without obtaining a British driving licence does not apply to drivers from countries where standards for obtaining a driving licence are not sufficiently high.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 21 November 2006
	The rules governing driving in this country by holders of non-UK and non-EU licences stem from international agreements. They are based on statutory requirements on which there is no discretion. New legislation and international agreement would be required to change this.

Freight Transport

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effects of reductions in the expenditure of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the movement of freight away from roads onto the inland waterways.

Stephen Ladyman: I am aware of concerns about this issue. DEFRA leads on inland waterways, but the Department for Transport and DEFRA officials do meet on a regular basis to discuss issues of mutual interest. However, it is ultimately a matter for navigation authorities to prioritise their activities in the light of competing demands for available resources.

Motorway Lighting

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the motorway network is provided with lighting.

Stephen Ladyman: Approximately 30 per cent. of the motorway network in England is lit.

Port of Liverpool

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the post-Panamax facilities at the Port of Liverpool.

Stephen Ladyman: The report of the Inspector who conducted the public inquiry into the application for the container terminal facilities at the Port of Liverpool is under careful consideration in accordance with statutory procedures. The Secretary of State's decision will be announced when the statutory process is complete.

Railways

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the standard of service on the Liverpool Street to Chelmsford line for commuters; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Department does not receive performance data on a route-by-route basis. Network Rail provide data at an aggregate train operating company level. For 'one' railway, the latest published Public Performance Measure Moving Annual Average is 87.2 per cent.
	 Source:
	Network Rail.

Railways

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains were cancelled because of vandalism on the tracks in each year since 1997 for which figures are available  (a) in total,  (b) in each region and  (c) broken down by train operating company.

Tom Harris: Train cancellation data for the Rail Network as a whole are collected and processed by Network Rail. The information requested is not held by the Department.

Railways

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of vandalism there were on  (a) trains,  (b) stations,  (c) railway tracks and  (d) railway depots in each police authority area in each year since 1997.

Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at:
	British Transport Police
	25 Camden Road
	London
	NW1 9LN
	E-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

Roads

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on road pricing.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department for Transport receives a large number and range of representations on road pricing both through correspondence and meetings.

Roads

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the cost of road schemes  (a) in the targeted programme of improvements and  (b) approved under (i) the local transport plans and (ii) community infrastructure fund.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 685W to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).

Speed Limits

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure greater consistency in speed limits on rural roads.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department published new guidance on setting local speed limits on 8 August 2006. One of its key objectives is improved clarity, which will aid greater consistency of speed limits across the country. Traffic authorities have been requested to review speed limits on their A and B roads in accordance with the new guidance, and implement any necessary changes by 2011.

Transport Safety

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the trend in casualties among cyclists on roads; and what steps he plans to take to improve road safety among cyclists.

Stephen Ladyman: Trends in pedal cycle casualties are published by the Department in "Road Casualties Great Britain: 2005". The statistics can be found in table 1K in the article 'Review of progress toward the 2010 casualty reduction targets' and in tables 2, 6, 9, 10 and 52. Copies of this publication are available in the Libraries of the House.
	Measures to improve road safety for cyclists include providing better infrastructure, promoting cycle training, improving training and testing for motorists and encouraging cyclists to protect themselves by making themselves conspicuous, and by wearing a safety helmet.
	We concentrate our cycle safety publicity on teenagers and younger children, as these are the most vulnerable groups. 'Cycle Sense' encourages teenagers to wear cycle helmets and provides advice on technique; cycle maintenance and visibility are also addressed. The campaign consists of a series of posters, a website and a supporting TV Filler film. Earlier this year, the Department also ran a new cycle safety campaign aimed at teenagers with Emap magazines and TV channels, featuring a website and a comic to support it. 'Cycle Smart', which includes a comic, website and posters, is aimed at younger children and uses Disney characters to communicate simple cycle safety messages.

Transport Safety

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on a whole route approach to road safety; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department for Transport has not commissioned or evaluated any research on a whole route approach to road safety.

Vehicle Occupancy

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the reduction in vehicle kilometres that would result from any  (a) 10 per cent.,  (b) 20 per cent. and  (c) 50 per cent. increase in average vehicle occupancy.

Stephen Ladyman: In 2005, cars and taxis travelled 397 billion kilometres with an average occupancy rate of 1.6. If the occupancy rate had been 10 per cent., 20 per cent. and 50 per cent. higher, then car and taxi traffic would have been 9 per cent, 17 per cent and 33 per cent lower respectively than it was. Such a fall in car and taxi traffic would cause total kilometres driven by all vehicles to fall by 7 per cent., 13 per cent. and 27 per cent. respectively.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Aggregate Levy

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has plans to change the aggregate levy sustainability fund.

Barry Gardiner: Her Majesty's Treasury Ministers and I are currently considering whether the Aggregates Levy Sustainability fund should continue and, if so, what activities it should fund from April 2007 onwards.

Boating Licences

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by how much the cost of boating licences will increase in each of the next three years; and what assessment he has made of the impact of these rises on the boating industry in England.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA sponsors the three largest navigation authorities, which are British Waterways (BW), the Environment Agency (EA) and the Broads Authority.
	BW plans to increase fees by 2.7 per cent. from 1 April 2007 and is considering an additional 10 per cent. increase over and above the agreed licence fee index from 2008 onwards. The EA, following consultation with users, has approved an increase in registration fees of 12 per cent. for 2007-08, with the total increase over the next three years likely to be around 40 per cent. The Broads Authority charges tolls for vessels using its waterways. Tolls for 2007-08 have not been finalised but are likely to increase by 9.9 per cent. for private craft and 6.1 per cent. for hire fleet vessels.
	The cost of maintaining our inland waterways is considerable and in order for them to remain sustainable, boaters need to contribute a fair and reasonable amount. Research and consultation carried out by DEFRA-sponsored navigation authorities suggest that, while any increase in licence and/or registration fees is unpopular, they are still manageable. The cost of boating on other inland waterways is a matter for the relevant navigation authority.

British Waterways

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the budget is for British Waterways for  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) each of the following three financial years.

Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leominster (Bill Wiggin) on 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1067W.

British Waterways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in implementing Waterways for Tomorrow; what plans he has for its implementation in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Waterways for Tomorrow sets out the Government's policies for the inland waterways of England and Wales. The Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council is currently assessing the extent to which the policies in Waterways for Tomorrow have been put into practice and I await their report with interest.

British Waterways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effect of the reduction in the grant-in-aid to British Waterways on the ability of that organisation to increase the level of freight carried on waterways.

Barry Gardiner: It is for British Waterways to prioritise its activities in the light of competing demands for available resources.

Dart Harbour

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will allocate an annual payment of £30,000 to the Dart Estuary Environment Management Partnership through either the Environment Agency or Dart Harbour Navigation Authority to continue the work initially funded by the Cycleau Project.

Ian Pearson: The DEEM Partnership was formed to implement the DEEM Plan, which is non-statutory. It is for the local partners to decide whether to continue voluntary financial contributions after December 2006 when Cycleau comes to an end. The South West Region of the Environment Agency has decided to continue to fund estuary partnerships where affordable, and it has recently agreed to provide funding for the River Dart for another year while it reviews the future of DEEM with the other local partners.
	Government policy is that ports are not eligible for public funding, on the ground that subsidy is likely to cause market distortion in an otherwise free sector. The Dart Harbour Navigation Authority is a trust port and obtains its funding by way of charges levied on its users. It has a duty to use funds for the benefit of the management of the harbour, which can include participating in a voluntary partnership to help manage the estuary.

Dart Harbour

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department made available to the Environment Agency in the South West in 2005-06 to fund the work of the Dart Estuary Environment Management Partnership.

Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency (EA) receives grant in aid funding from DEFRA for their environmental protection work. The EA then take decisions about local funding priorities. In 2005-06, the EA's South West Region contributed £5,000 to the Dart Estuary Environment Management Partnership from their local budget.

England Rural Development Programme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been made available under the England Rural Development Programme in 2006 specifically to promote higher standards of animal welfare; how much has been disbursed; and how much he expects to be disbursed to support this purpose in 2007.

Barry Gardiner: Under the England Rural Development Programme 2000-06, the Rural Enterprise Scheme and Vocational Training Scheme could address animal health and welfare standards. There were four Rural Enterprise Scheme projects and 10 Vocational Training Scheme projects approved in 2006 providing animal welfare outputs, which totalled nearly £386,000 in grant.
	It is not possible to give figures for 2007. Overall financing plans for the next Rural Development Programme cannot be agreed until a new EU voluntary modulation regulation has been finalised.

England Rural Development Programme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effect on animal welfare standards of the delay in implementing the England Rural Development Programme 2007 to 2013.

Barry Gardiner: Animal welfare standards in England are among the highest in the world. They are regularly monitored and often exceed the required standards.
	The Rural Development Programme may support animal welfare related activity, such as training and knowledge transfer, that will help to further improve standards. However, we do not envisage that the delay to the start of the next programme will have any impact on animal welfare standards.

England Rural Development Programme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been made available under the England Rural Development Programme in 2006; how much has been disbursed; and how much he expects to be disbursed to support rural development in 2007.

Barry Gardiner: The cash budget for the European accounting year, which ran from 16 October 2005 and ended on 15 October 2006, was £338.5 million. This compares with the original budget of £320 million, set in the approved England Rural Development Programme document. The expenditure incurred in the 2005-06 accounting year was £326.7 million.
	The budget for the 2007 accounting year has not yet been finalised. Overall financing plans for the next Rural Development Programme in England cannot be announced until a new EU voluntary modulation regulation has been finalised.

Hunting

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what requirements the Forestry Commission has made of hunts to ensure that they continue efforts to achieve successful drag hunting with chemical-only based scents;
	(2)  how the Forestry Commission is measuring the success of encouraging hunts to continue efforts to switch to chemical-only based scents when drag hunting;
	(3)  what penalties the Forestry Commission has considered for hunts that do not make efforts to switch to chemical-only based scents when drag hunting.

Barry Gardiner: The Forestry Commission will review the effectiveness of the terms and conditions in its agreements with the Masters of Foxhounds Association and the Masters of Bloodhounds and Draghounds Association at the end of the season. These bodies are aware that their members' efforts to find and successfully use chemical scents will be one of the issues considered by the Commission in this review and that only after this review will the Commission consider granting any further agreement.

Hunting

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which chemical only based scents the Forestry Commission has been encouraging hunts to use when drag hunting.

Barry Gardiner: The terms and conditions in the Forestry Commission's agreement with the Masters of Bloodhounds and Draghounds Association and the Masters of Foxhounds Association does not specify which chemical only based scents should be used. The choice of scents used and tested is left to the hunts, subject to the restrictions imposed in the agreement.

Natural England

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Parliamentary Ombudsman cases against Natural England and its predecessors have been upheld in each of the last three years.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 20 November 2006
	There have been no complaints in relation to Natural England. Of the three founding bodies one complaint of maladministration against the Rural Development Services was upheld in 2003-04 and one partly upheld in 2005-06; one complaint against the Countryside Agency was upheld in 2005-06; one complaint against English Nature was partially upheld in 2005-06.

Natural England

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many answers given by Natural England and its predecessors to constituents of the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight regarding questions on the reconstruction of the A3055 Undercliff Drive have subsequently been retracted; on what dates those retractions were made; and if he will publish the questions with the retracted and corrected answers.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 20 November 2006
	English Nature, now Natural England, has had lengthy correspondence and meetings with a number of constituents over a period of time on this case. Natural England has listened carefully and provided a large amount of information in response to requests. At no time has Natural England's view of the science and evidence changed. By working with the local authority, Natural England is confident that the potentially damaging impacts of the scheme can be overcome by appropriate mitigation. The Countryside Agency lodged no objections on landscape grounds although some concerns were raised.

Public Rights of Way

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how he will assess whether claims to open up public rights of way discovered under the Discovering Lost Ways Project would  (a) conflict with current land use and  (b) be detrimental to the environment; and how he will deal with such claims.

Barry Gardiner: Whether rights of way are identified through the Discovering Lost Ways Project or otherwise, the legislation that provides for them to be recorded on the definitive map and statement (the local authorities' legal record of rights of way) is concerned only with whether the right of way can be proved to exist in law. No other considerations may be taken into account.

Public Rights of Way

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what resources his Department has made available to  (a) local authorities and  (b) the Planning Inspectorate to process claims made as part of the Discovering Lost Ways Project.

Barry Gardiner: The Discovering Lost Ways Project was triggered by legislation, the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, to set a cut-off date for claims to record historic rights of way. At the time that this legislation was passed, a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was prepared in which it was estimated that the cost to local authorities of processing the resulting claims would be £1.6 million a year until the cut-off date of 1 January 2026. This was one of several new burdens arising from part II of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which were funded by the Government through the un-hypothecated Environmental Protection and Cultural Services block of the Revenue Support Grant.
	The RIA estimated that the cost to Government for resulting public inquiries would be some £56,000 a year. To date, no extra resources for processing claims have been given to the Planning Inspectorate, as no claims under the Discovering Lost Ways Project have yet been made.

Public Rights of Way

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of the Discovering Lost Ways Project has been to date; and what the cost was of processing claims deriving from the project through to determination.

Barry Gardiner: The cost of the Discovering Lost Ways Project to date has been £2.5 million. So far, there has been no cost in processing claims deriving from the project through to determination as no such claims have yet been made.

Right to Roam

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the merits of extending the right to roam to riversides.

Barry Gardiner: The right of pedestrian access to land for open-air recreation has been implemented throughout England and Wales under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. This includes some riverside areas which have been mapped as open country and registered common land.
	We have no plans to extend the right of access to riverside areas which are not mapped as open country or registered common land.

Rochdale Canal

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had on the future funding of maintenance of the Rochdale Canal with British Waterways; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 20 November 2006
	It is for British Waterways to prioritise its expenditure in the light of competing demands. My Department is engaged in discussions with British Waterways over its funding for 2007-08 and its likely impact over a range of areas.

Species Recovery Programmes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress his Department has made with The Species Recovery programme.

Barry Gardiner: The Species Recovery programme aims to achieve the long-term self-sustained survival in the wild of species of plants and animals currently under threat from extinction. It focuses on the recovery of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priorities and other species of national or international importance, and has supported work on 472 species since it began in 1991. The latest BAP reporting data show that 46 per cent. of BAP species are now stable or increasing and the decline has slowed for a further 9 per cent.
	Natural England has taken over the running of the programme and will re-energise it, working in partnership with a wide range of organisations.

Sustainable Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what data the Government collected on timber procurement by central Government prior to 2004.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA is not aware of what data on timber procurement were held by individual departments prior to 2004. Departments began to provide DEFRA with data on their timber purchases after July 2000 when the current timber procurement policy was introduced. All the data that were collected centrally by DEFRA are summarised in the Sustainable Development in Government reports, commencing with the 2002 report, which covers the year commencing 1 April 2001. The full reports can be accessed on the SDiG Website at:
	http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/publications/index.htm

Sustainable Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information on timber procurement by central Government is collected  (a) centrally and  (b) departmentally on (i) the (A) species, (B) volume, (C) financial cost and (D) source of timber purchased and (ii) the certification scheme which certified the timber.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA has requested departments to report their spend on  (a) timber that was certified by a recognised standard such as that of the Forest Stewardship Council and  (b) timber that was not certified but had evidence of sustainable and legal sourcing and  (c) timber that had no evidence of sustainable and legal sourcing. Departments have not been requested to report on species, volume or source of timber, or by name of certification scheme.

Sustainable Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have for data collection by central Government on timber procurement.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA plans to commission the Central Point of Expertise on Timber to undertake research and make recommendations on the feasibility of developing new data collection for the reporting of legal and sustainable timber procured by central Government Departments.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Farepak

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from members of the public in  (a) Wirral,  (b) Merseyside and  (c) the North West on the failure of Farepak.

Ian McCartney: The Department have received a large number of letters from members of the public, but I regret that it would not be possible to provide the information which my hon. Friend seeks except at disproportionate cost.

Farepak

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met consumer groups to discuss the situation at Farepak.

Ian McCartney: I have had no discussions with consumer groups on Farepak, though a number of individual Farepak customers or agents have informed me of their situation through my constituency office or by writing to me. I have great sympathy for all those who have been so badly let down in this case, and I am doing all that I can to secure some practical assistance for them, on a goodwill basis, before Christmas.

Hazardous Substances

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance is being given to the IT industry in its search for credible, cost effective alternatives the materials banned under the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI has made considerable efforts to assist both the IT industry and other sectors to comply with the requirements of these regulations both during the negotiations, prior to the adoption of an agreed text in January 2003, and in the subsequent period up to 1 July this year when the requirements came into force. These efforts have included three full rounds of public consultation, the organisation of UK-wide seminars to inform key stakeholders and the provision of the latest information on the Department's website.
	In particular reference to the search for credible and cost effective alternatives to the substances restricted by these regulations, officials have signposted industry stakeholders to independent sources of technical assistance. Where such alternatives are not available, the Department has supported industry in the requests it has made to the European Commission for the provision of specific exemptions that are permitted under Article 5 of the Directive, (subject to the approval of a majority of member states).

Hazardous Substances

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to speed up the decision-making process on the exemption requests under the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I share concerns expressed by industry at the length of time that has been taken up by the consideration of requests from industry for exemptions for specific applications from the requirements of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, but also fully understand the procedural constraints that the European Commission has faced.
	I wrote to the European Commissioner who has responsibility for this area about this issue in July and was assured, in reply, that the Commission fully understood the concerns of industry and was doing all that was possible to bring all outstanding requests to a conclusion as soon as was reasonably possible.

Hazardous Substances

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the policy of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory will be on the interpretation of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Regulations in respect of  (a) existing but unsold electronic equipment held by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and  (b) production by the SMEs of new equipment where for health, safety or robustness of construction reasons the equipment demands the use of lead-based solders, or no proven alternative is widely available.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 21 November 2006
	The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) NWML's policy in enforcement of regulations implementing Directive 2002/95/EC on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS), which applies at the point of putting products onto the market, complies with the EU Commission guidance in the 'Guide to the implementation of directives based on the New Approach and the Global Approach'. Any existing but unsold equipment that had been put on the market before 1 July this year can be sold regardless of whether it complies with the requirements of the directive or not. Only compliant equipment can be sold if it was put on the market after 1 July.
	 (b) All exemptions to the RoHS directive must be approved by member states under the procedures laid down in article 5 of the directive. Applications for exemptions must be made directly to the European Commission. NWML has no authority to make local policy judgements on such matters.

Hazardous Substances

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the meeting of 27 June 2006 between the Minister for Energy, the hon. Members for Mole Valley and for Walthamstow Mr. Gerrard (and representatives of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association, if he will list the research that contradicts the evidence adduced in the Christopher Booker article in the  Sunday Telegraph of 4 June 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: In the article that Mr. Booker wrote in June, he suggested that the report published by the US Environment Protection Agency in 2005 demonstrated that the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive was an unnecessary piece of legislation. I do not share this view.
	The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive aims to minimise the amount of hazardous substances in waste electrical and electrical equipment that could enter landfill sites at end of life by restricting the levels of such substances that are used in the manufacture of such equipment.
	It is well known and widely recognised that the four heavy metals restricted by the RoHS Directive (and, as a consequence, the UK RoHS Regulations 2006) are toxic materials that could cause death, illness and other medium to long-term health impacts. This is also the case in regard to the polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) restricted by the Directive. The situation in respect of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is less conclusive, so the most commonly used—DecaBDE—has been exempted from the restrictions in the light of extensive research undertaken for the European Commission by the Environment Agency for England and Wales.

Staff Bonuses

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 22 November 2006
	The Department of Trade and Industry awards non-pensionable bonuses in two formats:
	Special bonuses for exceptional performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of a special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.
	Annual performance awards paid to highly successful performers as part of the annual pay award.
	Based on the information available the number of staff receiving these awards, the proportion of the total work force they represent and the size of the single largest payment for each of the years for which this information can be provided is in the following table.
	
		
			   Special bonuses  Performance awards  
			   Number of staff receiving  Proportion of the work force receiving (percentage)  Total value (£)  Number of staff receiving  Proportion of the work force receiving (percentage)  Total value (£)  Largest single payment 
			 2002-03 (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 1,125 30 1,579,906 5,432 
			 2003-04 1,458 29 521,149 1,269 26 1,505,328 6,000 
			 2004-05 1,261 26 498,592 1,274 26 1,563,180 8,000 
			 2005-06 1,237 27 572,902 1,257 28 1,808,630 8,000 
			 (1) Figures for special bonuses paid in 2002-03 can be made available only at disproportionate costs due to a change in accounting computer systems.  Notes: 1. Full data for 2006-07 are not yet available as the non-SCS pay award has not yet been implemented. For the SCS the largest performance bonus paid for those on standard contracts in 2006-07 is £15,000. For those on non-standard contracts (12 people in 2006-07) the largest performance bonus paid was £30,788. Figures for earlier years for non-standard contract bonus payments can be made available only at disproportionate cost. 2. In 2005-06 the total value of bonuses paid was approximately 1.4 per cent. of the Department's total paybill. 3. The Special bonuses and performance awards for non-SCS staff are paid on a non-consolidated, non-pensionable basis and do not increase the Department's paybill costs each year. For the SCS the senior salaries review body determines the level of expenditure to cover bonuses.

Trading Standards Officers

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department plans to change the powers and responsibilities of trading standards officers.

Ian McCartney: There are two developments of interest to Trading Standards' responsibilities.
	Firstly, the implementation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive provides a significant opportunity to modernise and simplify the UK's consumer law framework. We are still considering how to implement the Directive, but one option is to provide access to civil and criminal investigative powers for almost all breaches of the Directive. Given that the Directive contains important provisions that are new to UK law, this would effectively extend Trading Standards' existing powers. We are also considering placing a duty to enforce on Trading Standards and the OFT in order to ensure effective enforcement of the Directive.
	Secondly, the Consumer Protection Co-operation regulation will provide enforcers, including Trading Standards departments, with a new power of on-site inspection to investigate civil infringements of consumer law. In addition, the regulation formalises co-operation arrangements on the enforcement of intra-Community laws that protect consumers' interests. It will therefore place a legal requirement on enforcers to provide mutual assistance for the exchange of information and co-operation on cross-border cases.
	In addition, the Government will be establishing the Local Better Regulation Office which will work in partnership with Trading Standards to reduce administrative burdens on business.

SCOTLAND

Information Technology Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which information technology projects are being undertaken by his Department; what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) expected completion date,  (d) originally planned costs and  (e) estimated planned costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has no ongoing information technology projects.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has a traffic light system in place for processing parliamentary questions, where questions are categorised using a colour code.

David Cairns: No.

Secondments

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which staff in his Department are  (a) seconded from organisations with charitable status and  (b) have (i) costs and (ii) salaries met (A) in part and (B) in whole from (1) public funds and (2) by the charity from which they are seconded.

David Cairns: None.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

British Telecom

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has received recent representations about the service offered by British Telecom.

Shaun Woodward: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a representation from the hon. Member for North-East Milton Keynes (Mr. Lancaster) and my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey) about British Telecom, regarding digital services in Milton Keynes, at a meeting on 8 May.

Casino Advisory Panel

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people work for the Casino Advisory Panel; how many members have left since the Panel was created; and what the staff turnover has been in that period.

Richard Caborn: The Casino Advisory Panel currently has a secretariat comprising three full-time and one part-time staff. Since the panel's creation there have been two changes in secretariat personnel.

Construction Industry

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department gives to the British construction industry to support the Prime Minister's better public building award scheme.

David Lammy: The Prime Minister's Award for Better Public Building is a special category within the British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA), and is part of the Better Public Building initiative launched by the Prime Minister in October 2000.
	The Prime Minister's Award itself is jointly sponsored by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment CABE (a DCMS sponsored NDPB) and the Office for Government Commerce.
	In 2006, OGC and CABE each paid £10,000 to sponsor the award. This primarily covered the costs of a rigorous assessment process, including site visits to each shortlisted project. CABE spent a further £65,000 on a campaign to launch the 2006 award.

Freephone Numbers

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated cost is of switching  (a) her Department's and  (b) its agencies' telephone inquiry lines to freephone numbers.

David Lammy: My Department has not made an estimation of these costs.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations were consulted by the Gambling Commission in relation to the changes to be levied for a betting shop operations licence.

Richard Caborn: A consultation document on gambling operating and personal licence fees was issued jointly by the Department and the Gambling Commission on 20 July 2006. A list of respondents has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.
	In addition, the Gambling Commission discussed the document with:
	British Gambling Association
	British Casino Association
	Lotteries Council and Hospice Lotteries Association
	British Holiday and Home Parks Association
	British Amusement and Catering Trades Association
	Small Bookmakers Association
	Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers
	Gamcare and Responsible Gambling Solutions
	Bingo Association
	General Municipal and Boilermakers Union, Community and the Transport General Workers Union

Lottery Funding

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) awards and  (b) payments have been made from the New Opportunities Fund for physical education and sport since June.

Richard Caborn: Since 1 June 2006 the following transactions have taken place:
	PE and Sport in School: seven new grants and 46 grant variations;
	School Sports Co-ordinators: 98 new grants and 14 variations;
	Community sport programmes: 22 new grants made.
	The value of awards made during that period has been £21,679,381 and of payments made £82,810,085.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the occasions since she has held her present office when she has used  (a) rail services,  (b) the London Underground,  (c) tram or light railway services and  (d) buses in connection with her ministerial duties.

David Lammy: Records are not held centrally for the period 2001-05 and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For 2006 details are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Rail 11 
			 London Underground 5 
			 Tram or Light Railway Services 1 
			 Bus 0 
		
	
	The Department's Ministers will use public transport wherever practical and possible to complete their official visits. All ministerial travel on official business is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in Travel by Ministers.

National Rate Telephone Lines

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much revenue  (a) her Department and  (b) each of its agencies accrued from national rate telephone lines in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: My Department does not have any national rate telephone lines which generate revenue.

Olympic Games

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made to ensure that people from deprived areas of the UK benefit from the skills legacy of the 2012 Olympics.

Richard Caborn: Government action to help ensure that people from deprived areas of the UK benefit from the skills legacy of the 2012 games includes a programme of activity with Sector Skills Councils to deliver the games' future skills needs, such as:
	Construction Skills—coordinating research and delivery of constructions training where none exists.
	People 1st—developing a National Hospitality Skills Academy and UK Skills Passport, which will raise standards of skills and training across the hospitality and tourism industries.
	GoSkills—established an employer's forum to discuss and plan transport requirements for the games.
	This activity will be complemented by work in the English regions and devolved Administrations, who are producing their own strategies to maximise the games' skills impact. The London Employment and Skills Taskforce Action Plan was launched in October. In addition, the Olympic Delivery Authority intends to make clear its commitment to requiring and encouraging its suppliers to operate with a competent work force.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has a traffic light system in place for processing parliamentary questions, where questions are categorised using a colour code.

David Lammy: No.

School Sport

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the £750 million pledged by the Prime Minister to school sport at the 2000 Labour Party Conference has been  (a) committed and  (b) spent.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 21 November 2006
	Latest figures from the big lottery fund show that New Opportunities for PE and Sport (NOPES) funding has now been fully committed. 2,780 sports facilities projects across the United Kingdom have benefited and 1,397 (50 per cent.) of these projects are already completed and in use.
	To date, £418,900,000 (56 per cent.) has been drawn down by local education authorities.

DEFENCE

9mm Browning Pistol

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with the trials to replace the 9 mm Browning pistol personal side weapon.

Adam Ingram: There are no trials being conducted into potential replacements for the Browning 9 mm pistol. A replacement is not planned until the pistol reaches its out of service date in 2016.

Ammunition Stockpiles

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will conduct a review of the siting of armed forces ammunition stockpiles to increase security and reduce risk of hazard.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 22 November 2006
	The siting of ammunition stockpiles is routinely reviewed by the Ministry of Defence in order to ensure that stocks are positioned to meet the operational demands of the armed forces. Rigorous application of safety and security policies ensures that safety and security risks are minimised.

Armed Forces

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the submissions to the recent Armed Forces Compensation Scheme consultation.

Derek Twigg: An evaluation has been carried out of the first year of operation of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which came into force on 6 April 2005. Views were obtained from ex-service organisations, individual claimants and the staff who administer the scheme. The findings of the evaluation will be set out in a report which will be sent to members of the statutory Central Advisory Committee, established for the purposes of consultation in 1921 when the original War Pensions Scheme was introduced, for their final comment before the report is made available. Once this is complete I intend to publish the report, including placing a copy in the Library. While the evaluation was not a formal consultation exercise, in line with Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation, part of the report will include a summary of key issues identified as part of the consultation process.

Armed Forces

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) process and  (b) timetable is for publishing recommendations from the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.

Des Browne: The Armed Forces' Pay Review Body submits their report to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Defence by January each year. An announcement, by means of a written ministerial statement, is made once the Government have considered the Review Body's recommendations.

Colombia

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance other than de-mining training is provided in Colombia using expenditure earmarked by his Department for military assistance in that country.

Des Browne: Current UK military assistance to Colombia is concerned with military education, with a strong emphasis on human rights and with training the Colombian armed forces in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. This comprises humanitarian de-mining and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal training courses, support to the Columbian process of Military Justice Reform and training to members of the Colombian armed forces engaged in counter-narcotics.

Defence Training Rationalisation Programme

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the affordability of the Defence Training Rationalisation Programme is conditional on it being an off-balance sheet transaction.

Derek Twigg: The bids for the DTR PPP are currently under consideration. All solutions involve a significant amount of capital construction during the first five years of the contract that would not be affordable if this project were to be procured conventionally or through an on balance-sheet PFI. As with all such investment proposals, however, the primary consideration is whether it would represent better value for money than the alternative options available.

Iraq War

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the amount spent on the war in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The costs of operations are calculated on a net additional basis and audited figures are published each year in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts.
	The total of the annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Iraq for the years 2002-03 to 2005-06 was £4,026 million.

Parachute Regiment

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) establishment and  (b) current strength is of each of the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment.

Derek Twigg: The establishment and current strength of the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment as at 1 October 2006 are as follows:
	
		
			  Parachute Regiment  Establishment  Strength 
			 Total 1,760 1,440 
			 1st Battalion 580 450 
			 2nd Battalion 590 490 
			 3rd Battalion 590 500 
			  Notes: 1. The establishment figures refer to the number of posts within a battalion that may be filled by Infantry PARA personnel (officers and soldiers). Therefore, it excludes posts that are filled by attached personnel of other arms and services such as chefs, clerks, etc. 2. Strength figures include members of the regiment serving with the battalion i.e. two Parachute Regiment (two Para) includes Para personnel posted to two Para, it does not include other Infantry personnel serving with the two Para or Para personnel posted away from the regiment. 3. Figures are for trained infantry officers and soldiers and include Para full time reserve service (FTRS) personnel serving with the Parachute Regiments. 4. Strength and Establishment figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Totals are rounded separately and therefore may not equal the sum of their parts.

Parachute Regiment

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) officers and  (b) soldiers in the Army are in receipt of parachute pay.

Derek Twigg: As at 17 November 2006 the number of officers and soldiers in the Army in receipt of parachute pay was:
	
		
			   Number 
			  Officers  
			 Regular 281 
			 Territorial Army 24 
			 Total 305 
			   
			  Soldiers  
			 Regular 2,235 
			 Territorial Army 462 
			 Total 2,697 
			  Note: These figures do not include Gurkha soldiers.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pensions have been in payment to  (a) officers retiring after 16 years and  (b) others ranks retiring after 16 years in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could provided only at disproportionate cost.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of defence spending was on defence pensions in each year since 1980-81; and what he estimates it will be in each of the next five years.

Derek Twigg: Each year, in its Annual Report and Accounts, the Department provides a figure for the aggregate pension costs incurred in respect of its civilian and Service employees. This has been used to calculate the proportion of defence spending on defence pensions, by reference to the net resource outturn for the financial years 2000-01 to 2005-06 (and an estimate for 2006-07), as follows:
	
		
			   Proportion of defence pension costs within net resource outturn (percentage) 
			 2000-01 4 
			 2001-02 4 
			 2002-03 3 
			 2003-04 4 
			 2004-05 5 
			 2005-06 5 
			 2006-07 (1)5 
			 (1) Estimated 
		
	
	Prior to the production of departmental resource accounts, information on salary and pension costs was provided in the appropriation accounts, but the figures relating to civilian pensions were included as part of overall personnel costs and were not separately identifiable. Information for the financial years 1980-81 to 1999-2000 could, therefore, be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department is currently in the process of determining resource allocation priorities and setting budgets for the next financial year; this process will conclude in the first quarter of 2007. In addition, a formal Defence budget for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11 will not be set until the conclusion of the Comprehensive Spending Review in summer 2007. It is, therefore, not possible at this stage to provide accurate estimates for the potential costs over the next five years of the Department's contribution to the military and civilian pension liability as a proportion of overall defence spending.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why officers who complete 16 years service are entitled to an immediately payable pension; and what average amount such a person is paid.

Derek Twigg: Under the rules of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 75 (AFPS 75) officers who complete 16 years reckonable service from age 21 receive an immediate pension (IP) based on the representative rate of pay for their rank.
	The IP point was set at 16 years to meet the needs of the armed forces in terms of its manpower profile. Service beyond this point will normally be subject to the individual's potential. Typically, officers leaving at the IP will be in the rank of Lieutenant Commander, Major or Squadron Leader, and will be awarded a pension of £12,942 per annum and a pension lump sum of £38,826.
	Under AFPS 75, members of the armed forces with the same rank and same number of years' service are normally awarded the same pension, regardless of their actual pay either at retirement or discharge, or earlier in their career. This is known as the representative pay rate. Representative pay is worked out using specially selected rates of military salary.
	The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005, which was introduced in April 2005 under the provision of the Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Act 2004, does not feature an IP. Instead, officers who serve for at least 18 years and are aged at least 40 (the Early Departure Payment Point) will receive payments under the Early Departure Payments Scheme Order 2005. The aim of these payments is to encourage personnel to serve until the Early Departure Payment Point and to compensate them for the fact that the armed forces cannot offer the majority a career until age 55.

Retirement Age

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the retirement age for the armed forces pension scheme is set at 55 years; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The retirement age of 55 for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 75 (AFPS 75) was set to reflect the career structure of the armed forces and standards of fitness and health we required of Service personnel. The majority of Service personnel who are members of AFPS 75 serve leave before the immediate pension point (16 years from age 21 for officers and 22 years from age 18 for other ranks) and their pensions are preserved until age 60 for service before 6 April 2006 and until age 65 for service after that date: very few members of the armed forces continue in service until age 55.
	The question of normal retirement age was considered during the review which led to the introduction of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (AFPS 05) in April 2005 and it was decided to keep it at age 55 for the reasons set out above. The preserved pension age for AFPS 05 members is 65. AFPS 05 does not feature an immediate pension point because provisions of the Finance Act 2004 prevent pensions in the new scheme being paid before age 50 except in the case of ill-health retirement. Instead, payments will be made under the Early Departure Payment Order 2005 which are aimed at drawing Service personnel through to at least age 40 with 18 years service, and then compensating them for the fact that the armed forces cannot offer the majority a career until age 55.

Submarines

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which submarines are assigned to EUFOR from EU member states; and for what purpose reference to such units is included in the Forces Agreement for stationing EU peacekeepers in Gabon under Article 4.7.

Adam Ingram: There are two EUFOR military operations under way: EUFOR-Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina and EUFOR Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). There are no submarines assigned to either operation.
	The Agreement between the European Union and the Gabonese Republic was concluded on 16 June 2006 to determine the status of elements of EUFOR DRC stationed in Gabon. The Agreement addresses the full range of issues concerning the status of EU forces that might potentially arise.

Troop Transportation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which types of aircraft are used to transport UK forces to and from deployments abroad; and how many personnel can be seated on each aircraft with baggage and personal kit.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 November 2006
	The aircraft used to transport United Kingdom forces to and from deployments abroad are as follows with their troop carrying capacities:
	 RAF fleet
	Tristar C2—215 to 236 passengers
	Tristar KC1—140 to 160 passengers
	C17—up to 102 passengers
	 MOD chartered aircraft
	A330, DC10, 767-200, 767-300 and A300—225 to 250 passengers.
	The exact capacity will depend on the amount of personal kit carried.

Troop Transportation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) Ministry of Defence and  (b) military personnel are involved in the transport security police and movements staff.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 November 2006
	This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Troop Transportation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) RAF personnel and  (b) transport security police and movements staff are stationed at Akrotiri in Cyprus.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 November 2006
	There are approximately 540 RAF personnel stationed at Akrotiri. There are approximately 80 staff stationed at Akrotiri to support movements activity, comprising RAF, Army and locally employed civilian personnel.

Veterans' Badge

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ex-service men and women in Swansea, East are eligible for the veterans' badge; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: We do not have the information required to establish how many ex-service men and women in Swansea, East might fulfil the eligibility criteria for the HM Armed Forces Veterans' Badge.
	The veterans' badge scheme was launched in May 2004 and between April 2005 and August 2006, 685 residents from Swansea, which includes Swansea, East, have applied for and received the badge.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Coroners' Courts

David Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations she has received from the Coroners' Society on her proposed reforms of coroners' courts.

Harriet Harman: The Coroners' Society provided an initial response when the draft Coroners Bill was published on 12 June 2006. A further response was received on 15 August. Approximately 90 coroners (including deputy and assistant deputy coroners) attended the four regional conferences organised by my Department in June and July, where those involved in delivering or funding the service were able to express their views on the Government's proposals. Separately, 15 coroners provided written comments as part of the public consultation on the draft Bill. We will continue to work with and consult coroners, and other stakeholders, to refine the detail of the legislation.

Court Buildings

Chris Mullin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has for the building of a new courts building in Sunderland; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: My Department is currently working with HM Treasury, as part of its bid for the Comprehensive Spending Review, to establish the court building programme for the next spending round. I will shortly be in a position to announce the priority court building projects for the next spending round.

Court Closures

Michael Penning: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the  (a) magistrates courts and  (b) county courts which closed in each year since May 1997.

Harriet Harman: The following tables detail  (a) the magistrates court closures that the Department has been notified of since May 1997 and  (b) the county court closures since May 1997.
	Up until 1 April 2005 magistrates courts were the responsibility of locally managed magistrates courts committees who were statutorily independent. They were not required by statute to inform the Department of any magistrates courts closures that were not subject to an appeal under section 56 (3) of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 (now repealed).
	Against this picture, since May 1997 a number of new courthouses have been built, which has improved the standard of facilities provided to court users.
	
		
			  (a) Magistrates courts 
			  Courthouse closed  Date of closure 
			  1997  
			 Bromsgrove 31 May 1997 
			 Ledbury 31 May 1997 
			 Hebburn 5 June 1997 
			 South Shields (Kepple Street) 5 June 1997 
			 Chippenham (Market Place) 30 June 1997 
			 Ashton Under Lyne (Manchester Road) 31 August 1997 
			 Duckinsfield 31 August 1997 
			 Thorne 31 August 1997 
			 Pontardawe 9 October 1997 
			 Braintree 31 December 1997 
			 Stokeley 31 December 1997 
			 Clacton on Sea 31 December 1997 
			 Bargoed 31 December 1997 
			 Monmouth 31 December 1997 
			 Pontlottyn 31 December 1997 
			 Pontypool 31 December 1997 
			   
			  1998  
			 Malton 6 February 1998 
			 Marlborough Street 31 March 1998 
			 Bishop's Stortford 31 March 1998 
			 Hatfield 31 March 1998 
			 Hitchin 31 March 1998 
			 Market Rasen 31 March 1998 
			 Chertsey 31 March 1998 
			 Farnham 31 March 1998 
			 Oxted 31 March 1998 
			 Lutterworth 31 July1998 
			 Ripon 1 August 1998 
			 Barnard Castle 31 December 1998 
			 Clerkenwell 31 December 1998 
			 Sheerness 31 December 1998 
			 West Malling 31 December 1998 
			 Lytham 31 December 1998 
			 Diss 31 December 1998 
			 Corwen 31 December 1998 
			 Felixstowe 31 December 1998 
			 Haverhill 31 December 1998 
			 Saxmundam 31 December 1998 
			 Stowmarket 31 December 1998 
			 Newmarket 31 December 1998 
			 March 31 December 1998 
			 Saffron Walden 31 December 1998 
			   
			  1999  
			 Christchurch 31 March 1999 
			 Abingdon 31 March 1999 
			 Henley on Thames 31 March 1999 
			 Windsor 31 March 1999 
			 Morley 31 March 1999 
			 Pudsey 31 March 1999 
			 Stow on the Wold 30 June 1999 
			   
			  2000  
			 Ampthill 1 January 2000 
			 Biggleswade 1 January 2000 
			 Dunstable 1 January 2000 
			 Leighton Buzzard 1 January 2000 
			 Lichfield 31 March 2000 
			 Keighley 1 April 2000 
			 Keswick 30 April 2000 
			 Windermere 31 May 2000 
			 Wigton 31 May 2000 
			 Appleby 31 May 2000 
			 Gravesend 9 June 2000 
			 Wootton Bassett 2 October 2000 
			 Abergele 31 December 2000 
			   
			  2001  
			 Alfreton 1 January 2001 
			 Ashbourne 1 January 2001 
			 Bakewell 1 January 2001 
			 Matlock 1 January 2001 
			 Leigh 31 March 2001 
			 Middleton 31 March 2001 
			 Leek 31 March 2001 
			 Worcester 31 March 2001 
			 Warrington Patten Hall 1 April 2001 
			 Macclesfield Park Green 1 April 2001 
			 Bideford 30 April 2001 
			 Exmouth 30 April 2001 
			 Kingsbridge 30 April 2001 
			 South Molton 30 April 2001 
			 Teignmouth 30 April 2001 
			 Tavistock 30 April 2001 
			 Axminster 4 May 2001 
			 Tiverton 4 May 2001 
			 Newquay 30 June 2001 
			 Southampton (Commercial Road) 31 August 2001 
			 Womborne 1 September 2001 
			 Gillingham 30 September 2001 
			 Bridlington 9 November 2001 
			 Brough 9 November 2001 
			 Driffield 9 November 2001 
			 Hull (Guildhall) 9 November 2001 
			 Hull (Lowgate) 9 November 2001 
			 Pocklington 9 November 2001 
			 Withensea 9 November 2001 
			 Arundel 1 December 2001 
			   
			  2002  
			 Bridgenorth 31 January 2002 
			 Leominster 31 January 2002 
			 Fakenham 1 May 2002 
			 Tunbridge Wells 2 June 2002 
			 Beaconsfield 1 July 2002 
			 Buckingham 1 July 2002 
			 Evesham 30 November 2002 
			   
			  2003  
			 Thame 31 January 2003 
			 Droitwitch 21 March 2003 
			 Machynlleth 21 March 2003 
			 Chester Le Street 21 March 2003 
			 Rugeley 21 May 2003 
			 Lampeter 9 June 2003 
			 Tenby 30 June 2003 
			 Camberley 30 June 2003 
			 Trowbridge 30 September 2003 
			 Whitchurch 3 October 2003 
			 Long Sutton 31 October 2003 
			 Caistor 31 December 2003 
			 Horncastle 31 December 2003 
			   
			  2004  
			 Richmond 31 March 2004 
			 Stourbridge 23 June 2004 
			   
			  2006  
			 Wetherby 7 March 2006 
		
	
	
		
			  b) County courts 
			  Court  Date of closure 
			  1997  
			 Andover 30 June 1997 
			 Braintree 1 December 1997 
			 Bishop's Stortford 1 December 1997 
			 Alnwick 15 December 1997 
			 Blyth 15 December 1997 
			 Berwick upon Tweed 15 December 1997 
			 Bridlington 24 December 1997 
			   
			  1998  
			 Rochdale 7 September 1998 
			 Holywell 7 September 1998 
			 Camborne and Redruth 24 December 1998 
			 Hemel Hempstead 24 December 1998 
			 West Bromwich 24 December 1998 
			 Loughborough 31 December 1998 
			  1999  
			 Corby (local sittings on trial basis to July 1999) 1 March 1999 
			 Bridgwater 20 December 1999 
			   
			  2000  
			 Great Yarmouth 31 January 2000 
			 Grays Thurrock 31 January 2000 
			 Lichfield 3 July 2000 
			 Caerphilly 30 November 2000 
			   
			  2001  
			 Workington 2 January 2001 
			   
			  2002  
			 Chepstow 1 April 2002 
			 Monmouth 1 April 2002

Custody of Children

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the role is of the central authority in  (a) child abduction cases and  (b) cases where the parents live in different countries and the child custody arrangements have been breached; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The central authorities transmit documentation and co-operate with other central authorities around the world as well as acting as a contact point for parents, as set out in by the main provisions of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and EU Council Regulation 2201/2003, known as Brussels II(a).

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects to publish her Department's gender equality scheme.

Harriet Harman: We expect to publish my Department's gender equality scheme by 30 April 2007.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work  (a) in her Department and  (b) for non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies for which her Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies.

Harriet Harman: Work will be undertaken with those organisations contracted to my Department, non-departmental public bodies and agencies to ensure that they are aware of their obligations as a consequence of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities)(Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930) before that legislation comes into force.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to carry out gender impact assessments of her Department's major policy developments and new legislation.

Harriet Harman: From April 2007, my Department will carry out Gender Impact Assessments of major policy developments and new legislation in line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930). We will refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission's (EOC) Code of Practice on the Gender Equality Duty and their specific guidance when available.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that  (a) her Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which she is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men.

Harriet Harman: In order to ensure better performance on the general gender equality duty which will require public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and harassment and promote equality of opportunity between women and men, my Department will be taking the steps outlined in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930) which should come into force on 6 April 2007.

Magistrates

David Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what effect the new regulations on age discrimination will have on the retirement age for lay magistrates.

Harriet Harman: There are no plans to change the retirement age for magistrates.
	The new age regulations provide that discrimination will not be unlawful if it is undertaken in order to comply with a requirement of any statutory provision. The retirement age for magistrates is set at 70 by s.12(2) and 13(1) of the Courts Act 2003. Therefore, moving magistrates on to the Supplemental List at age 70 will not constitute unlawful age discrimination under the Regulations.
	It is our policy to increase judicial diversity and it is particularly important that magistrates, whose great strength is that they are local people delivering local justice, reflect the diverse communities they serve. Nationally, 80 per cent. of magistrates are over 50. We need to recruit substantially more magistrates under the age of 50, and allowing magistrates to sit beyond 70 would work against this important objective.

WALES

Bonus Payments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department each year since 2001-02; and how many civil servants received bonuses in each year.

Peter Hain: Bonuses prior to April 2004 were paid through the National Assembly for Wales' systems. In 2003-04, 25 staff received bonuses in relation to significant achievements in 2002-03, and two staff for achievements in 2003-04. These bonuses totalled 10,800.
	No bonus payments were made in 2004-05. In the 2005-06 financial year, one member of staff received a bonus payment of 300 before tax. In the current financial year three members of staff have received bonuses. All of the bonuses together came to 862.30 before tax, and the largest single payment was 362.30.

Bonus Payments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria a civil servant in his Department must fulfil  (a) to be considered for a bonus on top of their regular salary and  (b) to be awarded a bonus.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office operates the Department for Constitutional Affairs bonus scheme. This gives the opportunity to recognise and reward exceptional performance on specific tasks by individuals and teams, i.e. performance above and beyond what could normally be expected of the individual in fulfilling their normal duties. This may include a one-off action, a contribution over a period of time or an exceptional one-off performance where it turns out to be particularly challenging.
	Any member of staff can be nominated by their manager for a bonus, which is then considered by a panel drawn from the Wales Office Management Boardexcluding the direct line manager of any nomineewho can award the bonus.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff were employed on a consultancy basis in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years for which information is available; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest period was for which a consultant was employed in each year.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not employ staff on a consultancy basis.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department's annual budget is for employing workers on a consultancy basis; and how much of this budget was used in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Peter Hain: Nil. The Wales Office does not employ staff on a consultancy basis.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work in his Department are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when they are exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies.

Peter Hain: All private organisation contracts for the Wales Office are undertaken via the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA). These follow the strict conditions set out in the DCA Terms and Conditions, Clause 26 Legislative Compliance, which can be found at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/procurement/pdfs/conditions.pdf
	Any breach of this Clause 26 shall entitle the Department to terminate the contract in accordance with Clause 17.2 (Termination) and recover the amount of any loss resulting from such termination.
	All suppliers and contractors accept the DCA Terms and Conditions of Contract.

Government Finances

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial settlement was made to  (a) the Wales Office and  (b) the Welsh Assembly Government each year between 1990 and 2006 under (i) the Barnett formula and (ii) any other financial heading.

Peter Hain: The Wales Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for the years 2000-01 to 2007-08 is shown in Table 1.12 of the Treasury publication Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2006 (Cm 6811). Data for previous years are not available on a consistent basis.
	The Wales Office Annual Report (Cm 6835) also contains information on spending in Wales.
	The workings of the Barnett Formula are set out in the Treasury publication Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland AssemblyA Statement of Funding Policy.
	Copies of these publications are available in the Library of the House.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which information technology projects are being undertaken by his Department; what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) expected completion date,  (d) originally planned costs and  (e) estimated planned costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: There are no IT projects being solely undertaken by the Wales Office. Since 2004, all IT services in the Wales Office are supplied by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has a traffic light system in place for processing parliamentary questions, where questions are categorised using a colour code.

Peter Hain: No. My Department targets answering ordinary written questions within five parliamentary sitting days of receipt of the question. Named days are answered on the date specified by the Member of Parliament tabling the question.

Secondments

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which staff in his Department are seconded from organisations with charitable status; and which have  (a) costs and  (b) salaries met (i) in part and (ii) in whole from (A) public funds and (B) by the charity from which they are seconded.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office has no staff seconded from organisations with charitable status.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Domestic Violence

Julie Morgan: To ask the Solicitor-General what specialist training staff in the Crown Prosecution Service receive in dealing with cases of domestic violence.

Mike O'Brien: The joint police and CPS national domestic violence training manual was launched in February 2005. The training schedule began in April 2005 and all Crown prosecutors, designated caseworkers and Crown court caseworkers will be trained by 1 April 2008. To date 2,109 staff have been trained.

Terry Lloyd

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will take steps to ensure that proceedings are initiated against those suspected of responsibility for the death in Iraq of Terry Lloyd.

Mike O'Brien: The Attorney-General is considering the issues, including the complex questions of jurisdiction. I will report to the House when decisions have been taken.

Manslaughter

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Solicitor-General what consideration the Government have given to changing its policy on sentences for manslaughter following cases the Law Officers have referred to the Court of Appeal for review.

Mike O'Brien: The Law Officers regularly ask the Court of Appeal to intervene to increase sentences for manslaughter where we regard the sentence to be unduly lenient and we have recently referred cases. Sentencing is matter for the courts, but we are concerned to ensure that sentences in manslaughter cases properly reflect the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused and the risk that they might pose to society. In addition, we have asked the independent Sentencing Guidelines Council to consider manslaughter sentencing and the Council has agreed that it would be beneficial to do so.

Criminal Cases (International Agencies)

John Robertson: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps he is taking to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office co-operate with international agencies in criminal cases with international dimensions; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Both the CPS and SFO are already cooperating with international agencies in dealing with transnational crime. The areas that they are active in include mutual legal assistance, asset recovery, extradition and the provision of training and legal reform advice to EU and non-EU jurisdictions.

Crime Victims

Vincent Cable: To ask the Solicitor-General what account the Crown Prosecution Service takes of the views of the victims of crime when pursuing prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The prosecutors' pledge makes a series of specific commitments about the way in which prosecutors communicate with victims of crime throughout the life of a case. This includes through victim's witness statements and victim personal statements, ensuring that the preferred charge reflects the criminality of the offence.
	All prosecutors have a responsibility to keep the victim informed of progress, and when considering any lesser plea offered to the offence charged, a prosecutor should always take into account the views of the victim or bereaved relative where possible.

Northern Ireland Office

David Lidington: To ask the Solicitor-General what the  (a) terms of reference,  (b) membership and  (c) timetable are of the Attorney-General's inquiry into the criticisms made by Mr. Justice Girvan of the Northern Ireland Office and of Northern Ireland departments; if the Attorney-General will publish the inquiry's report; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Attorney-General has not yet appointed a person to carry out this review and the Terms of Reference will be agreed with that individual before they are made public. It is envisaged that a single person will carry out the review, who will be given whatever support is considered necessary to allow the reviewer to report as expeditiously as is consistent with the thorough review required.
	In principle, it is the Attorney-General's intention that the report should be published. However, he recognises that issues may arise that might limit or delay that; for example, if for any reason it were to lead to disciplinary or other proceedings following from it.

Suspicious Activity Reports

Mark Hoban: To ask the Solicitor-General how many suspicious activity reports from  (a) banks and  (b) accountants have led to prosecution.

Mike O'Brien: The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain a record of how many prosecutions have arisen as a result of suspicious activity reports. To collate this information would require an examination of all case files and could only be achieved at disproportionate cost (Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, Part 2, Clause 9).

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Language Teaching

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what resources are being made available to local education authorities in  (a) England and  (b) Northamptonshire to teach immigrant children whose first language is not English.

Jim Knight: 435 million of the 24.6 billion Schools Formula Spending Share for 2005-06 was distributed on the basis of numbers of children from underachieving ethnic minority groups and for those pupils for whom English is an additional language. Northamptonshire's 2005-06 SFSS was 312.4 million, of which 2.5 million was distributed on the basis of these two groups.
	The Dedicated Schools Grant allocations for 2007-08 will depend on January 2007 school census data.
	The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant provides additional support for these two groups. The total for 2007-08 is 179 million and Northamptonshire will receive 619,488.

Science Education

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department is taking to promote science in schools.

Jim Knight: The Science and Innovation Next Steps document, published in March, sets out the Government's strategy to promote science in schools.
	Measures include: piloting 250 Key Stage 3 science and engineering after school clubs; increasing numbers of pupils reaching level 6 and above at Key Stage 3; increasing access to the three separate sciences at GCSE; expanding the Science and Engineering Ambassadors Scheme; and encouraging schools to participate in international student assessments.

Further Education

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to improve further education.

Phil Hope: We have invested heavily in further education and our reforms are already delivering significant improvements in performance. The next stage of reform was set out in our White Paper: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances, published in March this year. We are putting in place strategies to drive up standards and eliminate inadequate and underperforming provision, increase choice and flexibility and create a demand-led system driven by employer and learner needs. Our FE Bill introduced this week will provide the legislation necessary to implement the reforms.

School Building

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

Jim Knight: Building Schools for the Future aims to renew all secondary schools in England in 15 waves of investment starting last year. It is still in its early stages. An initial three-year contract to evaluate the impact on educational achievement of this leading strategic programme has been placed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, following an  Official Journal of the European Union procurement. It also aims to learn early lessons from the programme to inform its development.

School Canteen Staff

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in developing vocational catering qualifications for school canteen staff; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: In September 2005 we introduced a new vocationally related qualification at level 1 'Providing a Healthier School Meals service' for school caterers. We have added units at level 2 and 3 to the Support Work in School qualification which school catering staff can opt to take. In addition, a 2 million network of regional training schools for school catering staff are being set up to act as Centres of Excellence.

Student Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints from graduates about repayment errors have been received by the Student Loans Company in the past 12 months.

Bill Rammell: In the year to October 2006, the Student Loans Company received 679 new complaints about repayment issues. This means that less than 0.04 per cent. of borrowers registered a complaint about repayment during that year.

Health Professionals (Training)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on higher education institutions of planned changes to NHS commissioning of training for nurses, midwives and other health professionals.

Bill Rammell: I am very well aware of the problems which many higher education institutions have been facing this year over reductions in the level of commissions from strategic health authorities for education and training of health professionals. My Department is working closely with the Department of Health to review current systems and to identify ways in which they could be improved for the future.

Every Child Matters

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what method local authorities will use to gather data on the public service agreement targets set out in Every Child Matters.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1440W.

Information Sharing Index

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what representations his Department has received from the Information Commissioner on the information sharing index;
	(2)  whether the information sharing index database will be  (a) linked and  (b) enabled to share data with police records and databases;
	(3)  the staff of which voluntary and community sector organisations will be able to have access to the proposed information sharing index;
	(4)  which organisations will audit the use of the information sharing index.

Beverley Hughes: In relation to question 102804, the Information Commissioner has responded to two previous related consultations: on the Every Child Matters Green Paper (2003), and on recording practitioner details for potentially sensitive services and recording concern (2004-05). We are currently consulting on draft regulations that will bring the index into operation.
	We have consulted the Information Commissioner throughout the development of the information sharing index and we continue to value this important relationship. We look forward to receiving the Information Commissioner's response to the draft regulations, and to engaging with him further on the draft statutory guidance for the index that will cover issues such as subject access requests and securing explicit consent in handling sensitive services.
	In relation to question 102805, the index will receive initial data and regular updates from existing databases including, where appropriate, those of the police, to help establish and maintain accurate and up-to-date records. There will be no facility to link the index to police records, nor to feed data back into police databases. Information may only be disclosed from the index for the purposes set out in sections 10 and 11 of the Children Act 2004 and section 175 of the Education Act 2002.
	In relation to question 102810, access to the index will be granted according to the role of the practitioner. Draft regulations specify the types of practitioners whose role would make it appropriate for them to have access to the index, including authorised staff employed by a number of national and local voluntary and community sector organisations. The draft regulations provide that decisions on the practitioners who will be granted access may be made by a local authority, by a body designated by a local authority or by a body designated by the Secretary of State. All authorised users must have undergone an enhanced CRB check and have received training in the correct use of the index and the importance of security and good security practice.
	In relation to question 102811, it is intended that the DfES will, in time, contract out the running of the central functions of the index once it is operational. This body will be responsible for national statistical reporting and monitoring local authority operation of the index. Both national and local index operation will be subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office and the Audit Commission.
	All index user access will be continuously recorded and reviewed for suspicious patterns of access. Where suspected misuse is detected, it will be the responsibility of the agency where the practitioner works to investigate and, where appropriate, take action under their disciplinary and performance management arrangements. Misuse of the index may lead to a penalty or imprisonment.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa (Flooding)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department is giving to refugees affected by the flooding in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The current flooding in the Horn of Africa is exceptionally bad and is having serious humanitarian consequences. We have contributed a total of 6 million so far over the past few weeks to the international relief effort. The UN has also agreed to contribute US$15.1 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), for which the UK is the leading contributor.
	DFID has been among the earliest and most substantial donors to the relief effort. In Ethiopia, where flooding had been causing devastation since July, we made an initial contribution in August of 1 million to the UN Humanitarian Response Fund. This was followed in October by a further contribution of 1 million to address the epidemic of acute watery diarrhoea that has claimed 416 lives across the country so far, and is closely linked to the flooding.
	In Somalia, DFID has committed 2 million to Save the Children, the UN Humanitarian Response Fund, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for their relief efforts. We have also agreed with World Vision that funds available under an existing grant can be utilised for the relief response, while this is the humanitarian priority.
	In Kenya, we have committed a further 2 million to be divided between the Kenya Red Cross via the International Federation of Red Cross Societies and, because some of the hardest hit communities are the Somali refugees in camps in eastern Kenya, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
	On 17 November the Central Emergency Response Fund of the UN (CERF) announced contributions of $3.3 million for Somalia, and $11.8 million for Kenya. This is in addition to grants of $3 million made in October for flood relief in Ethiopia. The UK is the largest contributor to the CERF and was instrumental in its establishment. These latest contributions are an encouraging sign that it is beginning to improve UN emergency response.
	We continue to monitor the situation closely and are prepared to provide further assistance if necessary.

Africa (Flooding)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his assessment is of the recent flooding in the Horn of Africa; and what assistance the United Kingdom is providing to assist the victims.

Hilary Benn: We agree with the current assessments made by Government bodies, UN agencies, Red Cross organisations and NGOs that the current flooding in the Horn of Africa is exceptional, and that it is having serious humanitarian consequences. We have contributed a total of 6 million so far over the past few weeks to the international relief effort. The UN has also agreed to contribute US$15.1 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), for which the UK is the leading contributor.
	DFID has been among the earliest and most substantial donors to the relief effort. In Ethiopia, where flooding had been causing devastation since July, we made an initial contribution in August of 1 million to the UN Humanitarian Response Fund. This was followed in October by a further contribution of 1 million to address the epidemic of Acute Watery Diarrhoea that has claimed 416 lives across the country so far, and is closely linked to the flooding.
	In Somalia, DFID has committed 2 million to Save the Children, the UN Humanitarian Response Fund, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for their relief efforts. We have also agreed with World Vision that funds available under an existing grant can be utilised for the relief response, while this is the humanitarian priority.
	In Kenya, we have committed a further 2 million to be divided between the Kenya Red Cross via the International Federation of Red Cross Societies and, because some of the hardest hit communities are the Somali refugees in camps in eastern Kenya, the UN High Commission for refugees (UNHCR).
	On 17 November the Central Emergency Fund of the UN (CERF) announced contributions of $3.3 million for Somalia, and $11.8 million for Kenya. This is in addition to grants of $3 million made in October for flood relief in Ethiopia. The UK is the largest contributor to the CERF and was instrumental in its establishment. These latest contributions are an encouraging sign that it is beginning to improve UN emergency response.
	We continue to monitor the situation closely and are prepared to provide further assistance if necessary.

Aid Statistics

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if the 8.5 billion funding announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 10 April 2006 to help fund education in the developing world will be used exclusively to finance schools owned and run by national governments.

Hilary Benn: A significant proportion of our funding will contribute towards the development and implementation of 10 year education sector plans, which will mainly focus on investment in schools, including recruiting and training more teachers, getting more pupilsincluding girls and disadvantaged childreninto and completing school, and improving the quality of education. Whether the schools supported are run by governments or include private and voluntary sector schools depends on the countries' individual plans.
	We also encourage the involvement of civil society in developing national education policies, and provide financial assistance to UK non governmental organisations through Public Partnership Agreements, and to both international and local non-governmental organisations, through support from country programmes.
	DFID also supports the Education for All Fast Track Initiative (FTI) as it has the potential to provide a pivotal role in achieving universal primary education by 2015. We have committed 150 million to the FTI. DFID will also continue to provide support for education through our partnership with United Nations agencies such as UNESCO and UNICEF and through the UK share of European Community support to education.
	DF1D supports a number of schemes to develop capacity in countries to ensure growth and development, including investment in secondary, tertiary and vocational education and lifelong learning and skills. These include the Development Partnerships in Higher Education programme (15 million from 2006-13) and Scholarship programmes (14 million per year).

Cluster Munitions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with  (a) the Ministry of Defence and  (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the UK's approach to the use of cluster munitions at the Convention on Conventional Weapons Review.

Hilary Benn: In advance of the Review Conference on the Convention of Conventional Weapons (CCW) ministers from DFID, FCO and the Ministry of Defence agreed that the UK should play a leading role in pushing for an international commitment to end the use of dumb cluster munitions (ie. broadly characterised as having numerous sub-munitions but without a target discrimination capability and self-destruct or self-deactivation mechanism), phasing out the use of the UK's own dumb munitions, and pressing the military forces of all countries to adhere to their responsibilities under international humanitarian law.
	We also agreed that before we can achieve an international agreement on banning dumb cluster munitions, there are a number of uncertainties, including specific definitions, that experts will need to resolve. At the CCW Review Conference we secured agreement for a group of governmental experts to look at these issues, including existing International Humanitarian Law and the reliability of cluster munitions, reporting back to the next meeting of States Parties in November 2007. The process will include the main users and producers of cluster munitions and is an essential preliminary step towards any negotiations on a new and legally binding protocol which could restrict the manufacture, stockpiling, use and transfer of those cluster munitions which are of greatest humanitarian concern.

Departmental Costs

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's  (a) salary,  (b) accommodation and  (c) travel and other staff costs were in each of the last 10 years.

Gareth Thomas: Figures for salary, accommodation, travel and other staff costs for the years for which information is readily available are shown in following table.
	
		
			  000 
			   (a) Salary  (b)Accommodation  (c)Travel and other staff costs 
			 2003-04 84,872 25,155 25,829 
			 2004-05 93,700 27,851 29,941 
			 2005-06 102,506 28,842 30,976 
			  Notes: (a) Staff costs include wages and salaries, social security costs and other pension costs for permanently employed staff in the UK and overseas, Ministers, Special Advisors and other, which include costs for seconded officers and those on fixed term contracts. (b) Accommodation costs include rent, rates, utilities and maintenance costs. (c) The figures for travel reflect all domestic and overseas travel for Ministers, Advisers and Officials, which include the costs of accommodation and subsistence. Other staff costs include costs for training, transfer costs, overseas allowances, boarding school allowances, team recognition fund and uniforms.

Earthquake Reconstruction

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the increase in development aid announced on 19 November includes the 9 million pledge for earthquake reconstruction which was made in October.

Gareth Thomas: The doubling of our development assistance for Pakistan that was announced on 19 November is separate from the support we are providing for post-earthquake relief and reconstruction. Our earthquake support totals some 124 million, to meet extraordinary circumstances following a disaster in which over 70,000 people were killed.

Middle East

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in conflict-affected areas of Israel and Lebanon on rebuilding communities.

Hilary Benn: In Lebanon, some progress has been made in rebuilding communities. As of 21 November, 73 villages in the south have received financial assistance (21 per cent. of total) and this process should be complete by the end of January 2007. The Jieh power station is being rehabilitated and 100 per cent. of all transmission lines have been repaired. 575 damaged schools have been rehabilitated. Six of the 24 destroyed bridges have been fully repaired and detours have been built around all other bridge locations. DFID provided six temporary bridges to the Lebanese authorities to help improve humanitarian access. 68 per cent. (1.7 million cubic metres) of rubble has been cleared. One of the most difficult problems is danger to civilians from unexploded bombs. So far over 16 per cent. (31.5 sq km) of land affected by unexploded ordnance has been cleared, supported by a DFID contribution of 1.5 million.
	Israel has not asked for assistance from the UK, nor, to our understanding, from any other country. Residents returned rapidly to their homes after the ceasefire and our understanding is that the Government are providing compensation to those families who suffered damages. The Israel Emergency Campaign of the United Jewish Communities/federation system has raised nearly $330 million to help the most vulnerable Israeli communities in the north. For example it has made allocations for emergency small business grants, for school supplies for families living with financial hardship, and for school-readiness programs to help pupils return to normalcy before the start of the school year.

Pakistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which programmes will be funded by the expenditure planned for the extra development aid in Pakistan he announced on 19 November; and from which sources the additional funding will be derived.

Gareth Thomas: We will set out our priorities for the increased aid allocation in a new Country Assistance Plan (CAP) for Pakistan. DFID officials are now preparing for the consultation process. We will seek as wide a variety of views as possible and ensure they are fed into our CAP thinking and planning. The Government of Pakistan has made progress in fighting extreme poverty and hunger but very real needs remain. One in 10 children die before their fifth birthday; around eight million children do not go to school; approximately 50 per cent. of the adult population are illiterate, two thirds of whom are women; and at the last count, some 38 million were living below the poverty line in 2005.
	At the G8 conference in 2005 the UK made a commitment to increase its aid budget to 0.7 per cent. of national income by 2013. This rise in DFID's budget will enable us to increase our spending in those countries which need it most, including Pakistan, in order to help them to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Sierra Leone

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of  (a) average life expectancy in Sierra Leone and  (b) changes in life expectancy over the past five years.

Hilary Benn: According to the world development indicators, life expectancy at birth in Sierra Leone was 40 years in 2000. The latest data are for 2004 and show life expectancy at birth at 41 years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bonus Payments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department each year since 2001-02; and how many civil servants received bonuses in each year.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is set out in the table and comprises bonuses paid under the special bonus scheme, and the performance management arrangements for all NIO staff at senior civil service (SCS) level and below.
	
		
			   Number of staff received bonus  Total amount of bonuses () 
			 2001-02 728 172,456 
			 2002-03 809 231,005 
			 2003-04 1,670 475,080 
			 2004-05 1,731 629,742 
			 2005-06 1,024 686,425 
		
	
	The Northern Ireland Office established a non consolidated bonus pot to reward performance in the 2003-04 reporting year for staff below SCS. In 2003-04 and 2004-05 it rewarded three levels of performance. In 2005-06 the scheme was amended and is now targeted at exceptional performance.
	These bonuses are non-consolidated and non-pensionable and therefore do not have associated future costs for pay bill.

Bonus Payments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is set out in the following table and comprises bonuses paid under the Special Bonus Scheme, and the performance management arrangements for all NIO staff at Senior Civil Service (SCS) level and below:
	
		
			   Number of staff received bonus  Proportion of total workforce  Total amount of bonuses ()  Largest single payment () 
			 2001-02 728 46.6 172,456 9,600 
			 2002-03 809 46.2 231,005 10,400 
			 2003-04 1,670 91.9 475,080 10,080 
			 2004-05 1,731 90.7 629,742 12,000 
			 2005-06 1,024 49.2 686,425 11,000 
		
	
	The Northern Ireland Office established a non-consolidated bonus pot to reward performance in the 2003-04 reporting year for staff below SCS. In 2003-04 and 2004-05 it rewarded three levels of performance. In 2005-06 the scheme was amended and is now targeted at exceptional performance.
	These bonuses are non-consolidated and non-pensionable and therefore do not have associated future costs for paybill.

Careers Guidance

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance have found employment as career advisers in Northern Ireland.

Maria Eagle: The Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance commenced at the university of Ulster in 2002. The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) seconded 20 existing members of staff (Trainee Careers Advisers) to undertake the diploma in 2002-03. All 20 were employed in the DEL Careers Service as Careers Advisers on completion of the course. In addition the Department has recruited a further 12 graduates from the programme since its inception.
	The number of graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance who found employment as Careers Advisers with other organisations in Northern Ireland is not recorded.

Careers Guidance

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by the Department for Employment and Learning on the Diploma in Careers Guidance in each year since its introduction.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL) Careers Service entered into partnership with the university of Ulster (UU) to deliver the Qualification in Careers Guidance (QCG) in September 2002.
	In 2002-03 DEL sponsored 20 staff and provided an additional 10 bursaries amounting to 211,940.
	In 2003-04 16 bursaries were awarded at a cost of 98,710.
	In 2004-05 19 bursaries were awarded at a cost of 120,020.
	In 2005-06 fees and travel expenses were paid in respect of six existing Careers Advisers completing four modules of the course to supplement existing qualifications. The total paid was 26,760.
	There is no financial commitment by the Department in 2006-07.

Careers Guidance

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees in the Department for Employment and Learning completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance in each year since its inception.

Maria Eagle: 20 employees of the Department for Employment and Learning completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance (QCG) in the first year of the course (2002-03). A further six employees completed four modules of the course during 2005-06.

Compensation Claims

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid by  (a) health boards,  (b) health trusts and  (c) other agencies in respect of legal fees and charges arising out of compensation claims in each of the last 10 years; and what legal firms were involved in each case.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not held centrally and will take some time to collate. I will write to the hon. Gentleman when the information is available and place a copy in the Library.

Departmental Press/Public Relations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by the Northern Ireland Department of Education on  (a) press,  (b) public relations and  (c) communications work in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05 and (iii) 2005-06; what the Department's budget is for such work in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Department does not hold the information in the format requested. Listed is the Department's expenditure on its Press Office and Desktop Publishing Unit, including staff and general administration costs, expenditure on activities such as printing and publication of departmental material, media monitoring, facilitation of media briefings and event management, production of the Department's staff magazine, provision of photography of Government initiatives to media outlets, advertising and development of its website.
	
		
			   Total () 
			 2003-04 723,976.50 
			 2004-05 563,005.76 
			 2005-06 526,129.00 
			 2006-07 (anticipated) (1)271,548.00 
			 (1) Excludes possible expenditure on printing and advertising, as 2006-07 figures are not yet known.

Departmental Press/Public Relations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on  (a) press,  (b) public relations and  (c) communications work in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05 and (iii) 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Information Office has been funded for 11 staff in each of the last three years listed.
	
		
			  Staff  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Information Officers 4 4 4 
			 Executive Officers 3 3 3 
			 Admin Staff 4 4 4

Departmental Press/Public Relations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on press, public relations and communications work in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05 and  (c) 2005-06; what the Department's budget is for such work in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The information is not available in the format requested. The expenditure of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Press Office is detailed in the table. This includes staff salaries, advertising, maintenance of website, publications, print and broadcast media monitoring, event management, production of the Department's staff magazine and provision of photography of Government initiatives to media outlets.
	
		
			  Information Office 
			
			 2003-04 1,080,933 
			 2004-05 1,190,723 
			 2005-06 1,062,049 
			 2006-07 (planned) 1,250,686

Education Funding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the  (a) annual budget and  (b) annual administrative cost of (i) the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, (ii) the Regional Training Unit, (iii) the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, (iv) the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, (v) Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta and (vi) each education and library board was in 2005-06.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is shown in the following table and includes funding provided by the Department of Education, the Department for Employment and Learning and the Department for Culture and Leisure:
	
		
			  2005-06 
			  000 
			   Annual budget  Annual administrative cost 
			 BELB 230,185 5,337 
			 NEELB 298,248 6,608 
			 SEELB 272,156 2,896 
			 SELB 312,345 5,541 
			 WELB 312,603 4,663 
			 CCMS 3,823 2,850 
			 CCEA (1)19,419 27,284 
			 RTU 3,050 1,829 
			 NICIE 505 505 
			 CnaG 533 522 
			 (1) Balance in 2005-06 accounts includes 379,720 of deferred capital release.

Equality Commission

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Equality Commission expects to publish the latest monitoring report into employment patterns in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland expects to publish the monitoring report by the beginning of December 2006.

Fire Services

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times the Lisburn Road Fire Station has been called upon to deal with  (a) fires in wheelie or similar bins and  (b) street rubbish fires in the (i) Lisburn Road, (ii) University and (iii) Holyland areas in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The number of occasions on which the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has been called upon to deal with fires of a nature referred to in the question are set out in the table. Many of these incidents, including all those in the area known as the Holyland, are actually covered by Central Fire Station rather than Lisburn Road Fire Station.
	
		
			  Area  General street rubbish fires  Fires in rubbish bins  Total 
			 Holyland 15 72 87 
			 Lisburn Road 35 51 86 
			 University 28 47 75 
			 Grand total 78 170 248 
		
	
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to Lord Laird of 12 July 2006,  Official Report, column WA124, which indicates the action being taken to reduce such incidents.

Heroin Addicts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on making methadone available to heroin addicts in prisons in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service has in place policies and protocols for treating prisoners who on committal state that they abuse substances, whether drugs or alcohol.
	A prisoner who confirms that they are addicted to heroin or other illicit drugs, and that they are currently on a substitution programme receiving methadone or other similar medication, will be continued on that medication following confirmation of the medication and dosage from the consultant in charge of their treatment, or from an appropriate member of the community addiction healthcare team.
	A prisoner who alleges that he or she is addicted to illicit substances but who is not on a community substitution programme will be offered appropriate treatment and support from healthcare professionals in line with the Prison Service detoxification protocol.
	In addition to the treatment and support available to all prisoners from the prison healthcare centres, the prisoners can apply to community voluntary support groups working in each establishment to participate in the counselling support programmes that they provide.

Illegal Arms (Seizures)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many seizures of illegal arms believed to be in the possession of each of the paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland there have been in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The following table details finds of illegal arms and ammunition recovered by the Police Service of Northern Ireland for the period 1 November 2005 to 31 October 2006. Attribution is problematic for illegal arms finds, and the PSNI does not collate these data by paramilitary group breakdown or by loyalist/republican breakdown.
	
		
			  Security situation statistics finds of illegal arms and ammunition  1 November 2005 to 31 October 2006 
			  Type  Total seized 
			 Firearms 362 
			 Ammunition 102,124 
			 Explosives (kg) 147.4 
			 Detonators 2 
			 Mortar/rocket launchers 0 
			 Mortar/rocket rounds 0 
			  Note: 2006 Statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.  Source: Central Statistics Unit, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Lisnasharragh

Intercept Evidence

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make intercept evidence admissible in criminal proceedings in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs is currently reviewing this issue. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will await the results of that review before deciding whether or not to make intercept evidence admissible in criminal proceedings in Northern Ireland.

Magilligan Prison

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to be in a position to outline the future of Magilligan Prison, County Londonderry.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Prison Service in its long-term estate strategy has identified the need for a second adult male prison offering modern efficient dispersal facilities, better than those currently available at Magilligan, to supplement the present prison at Maghaberry. Much work is involved in assessing potential options; the availability of funding is also a relevant factor.
	I hope to be in a position to make an announcement within the next few months.

Malone Conservation Area

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the additional design criteria applying to the Malone Conservation Area Policy BT024 will apply to the application for the proposed extension to Rushmere House, Cadogan Park.

David Cairns: The additional design criteria applying to the Malone Conservation Area and set out in the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan policy BT024 cannot be applied to the application because they have been the subject of objections that will be considered at the forthcoming public inquiry.

Malone Conservation Area

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Planning Policy Guidance Note 6 will apply to the application for the proposed extension to Rushmere House, Cadogan Park.

David Cairns: My Department is legally required to apply Planning Policy Statement 6, 'Planning Archaeology and Built Heritage', to this application.

Malone Conservation Area

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many objections his Department has received to the proposed extension to Rushmere House, Cadogan Park within the Malone Conservation Area.

David Cairns: To date 110 individual objections and a petition of objection containing 40 names have been received.

NIAS

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons money owed by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) to its staff is being withheld; what amount of money is owed by NIAS to its staff; how many NIAS staff are affected; and when the money is expected to be paid.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is not withholding any money owed to staff. In line with Departmental guidance the Service is currently progressing a 2.5 per cent. uplift in staff salaries, backdated to 1 April 2006, which will be paid in December 2006 salaries. This is to compensate staff still on Whitley pay scales who have not yet been assigned to Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales.
	The implementation date for the introduction of the AfC pay scales was 1 October 2004, The matching and assimilation of ambulance service posts and pay scales under AfC is not yet complete and therefore the basic salaries of staff have yet to be determined. All Health and Social Services Trusts throughout Northern Ireland have been tasked with completing the job matching process by March 2007. When the new salary scales are agreed any arrears due will be backdated to 1 October 2004.
	In recognition that staff had entitlement to new terms and conditions of employment under AfC from 1 October 2004, NIAS has been making stage payments for unsociable hours. The next stage payment, due in January 2007, will be for unsociable hours worked from 1 April to 31 December and will apply to some 700 staff.

Planning Policy (Rural Areas)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) provided to the Department of Regional Development on planning policy in rural areas.

David Cairns: The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has provided advice to the Department of Regional Development (DRD) on a range of planning policy issues in rural areas, including on Planning Policy Statements and planning issues contained within the Regional Development Strategy, and in offering guidance on rural proofing as and when requests arose from DRD.

Police Recruitment

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to end positive discrimination in police recruitment in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The temporary 50:50 recruitment measures are being applied in order to provide a more representative police service in Northern Ireland. The goal is to achieve a 30 per cent. Catholic composition by 2010-11. Annexe B of the St Andrews Agreement makes it clear that the 50:50 arrangement will lapse when the target for Catholic officers has been achieved.

Stranmillis Road Sewers

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the planned timetable is for the completion of the upgrading and replacement of the Stranmillis Road foul and storm drainage system.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan, dated 23 November 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a parliamentary question about what the planned timetable is for the completion of the upgrading and replacement of the Stranmillis Road foul and storm drainage system (101852). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	At a meeting with Water Service officials in December 2004, you were advised that a major upgrading of the public sewer at Stranmillis Road was included in the capital investment programme to begin during the 2005-06 financial year. Subsequent investigations carried out by Water Service indicated that the proposed work could result in serious flooding occurring at the junction of the Stranmillis Road and Malone Road and, as a result, commencement was deferred. Water Service informed you, and local residents, of the position in April 2006 and gave an undertaking that, pending the outcome of further investigations, the existing system would be inspected on a regular basis and any blockages would be removed as quickly as possible.
	The latest investigations have concluded that the overall solution to the drainage problems involves the upgrading and replacement of the sewers over a much wider area. This will require a major programme of work and incur significant expenditure. As the commencement of the work will depend on a number of factors, including the availability of funding, I cannot, at this stage, provide a firm timetable. I will, however, ensure that you are kept informed of developments.

Transport Services

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public funding is scheduled to be spent on upgrading the Ballymena-Coleraine-Londonderry rail line in the 2006-07 financial year.

David Cairns: Translink has advised that it expects to spend 635,000 in the 2006-07 financial year on the Ballymena-Coleraine-Londonderry rail line. This is to maintain services at present levels rather than to upgrade services.

Water Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what surplus  (a) properties and  (b) land are owned by Water Service in Northern Ireland; what the value of each is; and when a decision will be made on the future of each.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Mrs Katharine Bryan, dated 21 November 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about what surplus (a) properties and (b) land is owned by Water Service in Northern Ireland; what the valuation is in each case; and when a decision will be made on future sakes of each (101339). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility.
	Water Service disposes of land declared surplus to requirements based on guidance for public sector bodies published by the Valuation and Lands Agency. Water Service records of surplus assets do not differentiate between properties and land, and the information could only be provided in the format requested at disproportionate cost. The attached schedule sets out combined details of all Water Service property and land which are potentially surplus. The decision on future sales of land is taken on an individual basis as the land comes to the end of the disposal process.
	
		
			  Potentially available properties identified for disposal 
			Estimated value by VLA () 
			 Sandhurst drive, Bangor  50,000 
			 Creightons Green, Holywood  5,000 
			 Pinehill road, Drumbo  7,000 
			 Killough ponds, Killough  15,000 
			 Tannaghmore reservoir  14,000 
			 North road service reservoir  60,000 
			 Craigantlet quarry  425,000 
			 Upper Falls  300,000 
			 Dunsy Way  (1) 
			 Lands at Mealough road, Knockbracken  40,000 
			 Lands at Knockbracken reservoir  300 
			 Lands at Woodburn reservoir  5,700 
			 Land at Crawfordsburn country club (Ballymullan water tank)  (1) 
			 Land at Ballywalter road, Greyabbey (meter house)  350 
			 Land at Stoneyford reservoir  (1) 
			 Timakeel (Scotch street) STW Derrylettif road, Portadown 500 
			 Glen Villas ST Glen road, Poyntzpass 250 
			 Newtownhamilton STW Dundalk road, Newtownhamilton (1) 
			 Loughgall STW (old) Main street, Loughgall 800 
			 Leitrim STW (old) Leitrim road, Castlewellan 50 
			 Newtowncloghogue STW Carn road, Newry 100 
			 Armagh STWland at Loughgall road Loughgall road, Armagh 130,000 
			 Ballyroney lands Ballyroney, Banbridge (1) 
			 Coalisland PS, Annagher Washingboy road, Coalisland (1) 
			 Mullaghbrack STW Mullaghbrack road, Markethill 5,000 
			 Magherally Grange tank Fedney Hill road, Ballooby, Banbridge 500 
			 Dehommed BPT and GT Rathfriland road, Dromara 200 
			 Middletown SR Rathtrillick road, Middletown 1,750 
			 Dernaseer BS Gortlenagh road, Dungannon (1) 
			 Cooey SR Tynan (1) 
			 Teemore SR Ashtreehill road, Laurelvale (1) 
			 Ballyagholy SR Upper Knockbarragh road, Rostrevor 2,500 
			 Benburb SR Lisduff, Benburb (1) 
			 Moy SR (old) Drumgrannon road, Moy 1 
			 Lurgancanty SR Lurgancanty road, Warrenpoint 1,500 
			 Slievenaman BPT Slievenaman road, Cross 5 
			 Clontigora SR Clontigora hill, Kileen 450 
			 Cloghinny SR Mountain road, Forkhill 500 
			 Lisnasure tower Lisnasure road, Donaghcloney (1) 
			 Corbally BPT Carnew road, Shanrod 2,000 
			 Babylon WPS Mullaghglass road, Scarva (1) 
			 Beechwood SPS Scarva road, Banbridge (1) 
			 Craigmore SPS Craigmore road, Newry (1) 
			 Tullyglush ST/BPT Ednego road, Dromore (1) 
			 Knock S/R (old) Lisnacroppin road, Rathfriland (1) 
			 Crossgar SR Crossgar road, Dromara (1) 
			 Tullymacreeve PS Carricknagavne road, Mullaghbawn 250 
			 Blanes Point PS Hilltown road, Rathfriland 250 
			 Ballymaginaghy SR Leitrim road, Castlewellan (1) 
			 Slievenacappell SR Carricknagavne road, Mullaghbawn 450 
			 Slievenalargy SR and BPT Largy road, Castlewellan (1) 
			 Kilbroney Upper PS Kilbroney road, Rostrevor 250 
			 Drumena SR Drumena road, Castlewellan (1) 
			 Red Moss river intakes Mourne Middle, Attical 1 
			 Yellow Water river intakes Newtown road, Rostrevor 1 
			 Leitrim SR Newtown road, Rostrevor 1,500 
			 Loughislandreavy WTP Castlewellan road, Kilcoo 50,000 
			 Ballylane WTW Lough road, Ballylane, Glenanne 35,000 
			 Ballylane Lough Lough road, Ballylane, Glenanne 10,000 
			 Bells Gate WPS Ballintemple road, Meigh 500 
			 Glenoran springs WTW Ashtree Hill road, Laurelvale 2,500 
			 St Brigids Cottages ST Drumsesk road, Rostrevor 250 
			 Burren STW (old) Greenan road, Warrenpoint n/k 
			 Loughgall WT 22 Orchard park, Loughgall n/k 
			 Loughgall SR Orchard drive, Loughgall n/k 
			 Garvaghy chart house Fedneyhill road, Balloody 1,000 
			 Castlehill SR Castlehill, Dungannon 95,000 
			 Attesnahaw BPT  5,000 
			 Ballyversal  18,000 
			 Ballyclough tank and springs  1 
			 Ballywillian Imp reservoir   
			 Ballyboley reservoir  50,000 
			 Ballyemon springs  500 
			 Ballyliny road ST  1 
			 Bendooragh STW  3,500 
			 Balnamore STW  3,500 
			 Ballycregagh SR  3,500 
			 Craigahullier IR  30,000 
			 Croaghmore SR (land near)  600 
			 Craigtow BPT  800 
			 Cockle Row, Larne  100 
			 Cloagh SPS  300 
			 Carnstroan SR  2,500 
			 Cloeytrace BPT  500 
			 Dungonnell WTP (Plcts 1, 2 and 3)  10,000 
			 Drones ST  1,500 
			 Drumnahiskey STW  1,500 
			 Drumbolg BPT  200 
			 Famentemple springs  5,000 
			 Fennoyle and Springwell BPT  1,000 
			 Gorunee SR  8,000 
			 Killyberry SR  500 
			 Knockoneill SR  700 
			 Largy SR  4,000 
			 Loughconnolly BPT  600 
			 Lisnamuck BPT  1,000 
			 Mucknamore SDW  6,000 
			 Magheraboy wtw  1,500 
			 Portrush SR  2,000 
			 Railway View SDW  200 
			 Straidkilly springs  100 
			 Skerry Rock SR  1,500 
			 Tobermore  2,500 
			 Tinaconway SR  2,500 
			 Tully GT  8,000 
			 Land adjacent to Desertmartin STW  1,000 
			 Mallusk SPS  1,000 
			 Charlotte street SPS  500 
			 Ballygooby SPS  1,000 
			 Victoria bridge STW Fyfin road, Strabane 5,000 
			 Cobhowen pumping station Foyle road, Londonderry 4,000 
			 Aghanloo STW Limavady 1,000 
			 Greencastle STW Seskinore 3,000 
			 Blackstick road PS Killyhevlin 110 
			 Bridge street PS Strabane 20,000 
			 Lisnafin park PS Urey road, Strabane 500 
			 Whitehall PS Whitehall, Limavady 20,000 
			 Lough Na Blaney Bane Clogher 25,000 
			 Lissahanley, Strathfoyle STW  5,000 
			 Ulster Swifts SPS Drumclay, Enniskillen 9,000 
			 Jubilee hill STW Jubilee hill, Trory, Enniskillen 2,000 
			 Ballydoolagh WTW and Lough intake Enniskillen 50,000 
			 Longfield Eglington 1,000 
			 Glenhead WPS Limavady 250 
			 Bocea raw water intake Limavady 200 
			 Alrest Donagheady road, Strabane 75 
			 Drumgaughey SW Victoria road, Breedy 500 
			 Derrylinn PS Derrylinn 500 
			 Killea reservoir  50,000 
			 (1) Not yet requested

Wind Farms

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful planning applications there have been (i) by private individuals and (ii) by businesses for wind farms in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: The number of successful and unsuccessful planning applications for wind farms in Northern Ireland over the last five years may be demonstrated in the following table. None of the applications were submitted by private individualsall were submitted by, or on behalf of, businesses.
	
		
			   Approvals  Refusals 
			 2002 0 0 
			 2003 3 (1)1 
			 2004 (1)2 0 
			 2005 3 0 
			 2006 (To date) 3 0 
			 (1) In 2003, one application was refused planning permission by the Department, however, on appeal in 2004, the Planning Appeals Commission subsequently granted permission to the same application.

TREASURY

Civil Service Bonuses

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much was paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department each year since 2001-02; and how many civil servants received bonuses in each year;
	(2)  what criteria a civil servant in his Department must fulfil  (a) to be considered for a bonus on top of their regular salary and  (b) to be awarded a bonus.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Members for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) and for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1039W.

Departmental Staff

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by  (a) the civil service, excluding Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies,  (b) Executive agencies and  (c) non-departmental public bodies in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 November 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by (a) the Civil Service, excluding executive agencies and non-departmental bodies (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in (i) 1996-7and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available (102715).
	Civil Service employment statistics (including executive agencies) are published in the quarterly Public Sector Employment First Release which is available on the National Statistics website (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pse0906.pdf). Table 6 of the First Release provides a breakdown of Civil Service employment by department. The latest information available is for Quarter 2 (June) 2006.
	The primary source of Civil Service employment statistics changed in 2004 following a cross-government review of public sector employment statistics and the introduction of a new quarterly survey. To provide the requested breakdown of Civil Service employment for government departments and executive agencies, the Cabinet Office's Civil Service Statistics publication has been used for 1997.
	The employment statistics for Non-Departmental Public Bodies are taken from the Public Bodies Directory published by the Cabinet Office.
	
		
			  Civil Service employmentUK, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Full-time equivalents, thousand 
			  Quarter  Total Civil Service  Of which: Civil Service excl. Agencies and NDPBs  Of which: Executive Agencies  NDPBs( 1) 
			 Quarter 1 (1 April) 1997(2,3) 496 197 299 106 
			 Quarter 1 (31 March) 2006(3,4) 525 241 284 93 
			 Quarter 2 (30 June) 2006(4) 524 241 283 n/a 
			 n/a = not available (1) Employees of NDPBs are not part of the home Civil Service (2) Civil Service statistics are sourced from Civil Service 1997, Cabinet Officeexcludes employees on paid maternity leave (3) NDPB statistics are sourced from the annual Public Bodies Directory 1997 and 2006, Cabinet Office. Figures for 2006 exclude bodies sponsored by devolved administrations. 4. Civil Service statistics are sourced from Public Sector Employment Statistics, ONSincludes employees on paid maternity leave (approximately 3,000)  Source: ONS, Cabinet Office

Dividend Tax Credit

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the abolition of the dividend tax credit on the number of private pension wind-ups.

Edward Balls: No such assessment is possible.
	The withdrawal of payable tax credits on dividends was part of a wider package of measures designed to improve the climate for long-term investment in the UK. This measure removed a distortion in the tax system, which encouraged companies to pay out their profits in dividends, rather than retain them for reinvestment in the business. It also allows pension schemes to make decisions on investment strategies based on their economic merits rather than for tax reasons.

Employment Rate

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the  (a) effect on UK public spending and  (b) yield to the Exchequer which would result from an increase in the UK employment rate of five per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: To estimate the effects of a five per cent. increase in the UK employment rate would require a wide range of additional auxiliary assumptions to be specified such as, for example, the cause of the increase, the response of fiscal and monetary policy makers and any movements in the sterling exchange rate.
	Therefore, such costings could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	However, generally an increase in the employment rate would be associated with lower spending on social security payments and higher revenue yields.

Pensions

Anne Milton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average annual public sector pension payment to a former public sector worker was in  (a) 1985,  (b) 1995 and  (c) 2005.

Stephen Timms: The average pension paid to former public servants and their dependants from central Government unfunded public service pension schemes was approximately 6,300 in 2004-05, based on figures available for the large schemes which publish accounts. More detailed figures are available in individual scheme accounts.
	The average pension paid from the funded Local Government Pension Scheme (UK) in 2004-05 was approximately 3,500.
	Figures for the wider public sector are not held centrally. Comparable figures for 1994-95 and 1984-85 are not obtainable without incurring disproportionate costs.

Research and Development Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many research and development tax credit applications were processed from  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Northern Ireland and  (d) Wales in each year since their inception.

John Healey: The estimated number of claims for research and development tax credits that have been processed in tax offices in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales since the inception of the scheme are given in the table.
	
		
			   England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland 
			 2000-01 1,340 130 170 20 
			 2001-02 2,500 330 330 40 
			 2002-03 4,010 480 460 90 
			 2003-04 4,830 490 460 90 
			 Note: Figures are actual numbers, rounded to the nearest ten. The table does not include a small number of claims where information on the processing tax office was unavailable.

Research and Development Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people will be employed in the seven new research and development tax credit units; how much the launch of the units is expected to cost; what estimate he has made of their annual running costs; and when they are expected to open.

John Healey: There will be 56 full time equivalent staff employed in the seven R and D units.
	The units opened on 1 November 2006 and their launch was cost neutral as they are staffed with existing HMRC staff in existing HMRC locations.
	There will be no separate budget for the R and D units. Their running costs will be met from the annual local compliance budget.

Registration Certificates

Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision is in place to make  (a) birth,  (b) marriage and  (c) death certificates available in an accessible format for the blind and partially sighted.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 November 2006:
	As Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been to reply to your question about the accessibility of birth, marriage and death certificates for the blind and partially sighted. (102468)
	Current legislation only permits birth, marriage and death certificates to be issued in a prescribed format. However, if a customer of the General Register Office requests certificate information in Braille we will arrange for the certificate to be passed to the Royal National Institute for the Blind for transcription into Braille. Both documents are then sent to the customer. The customer pays only the fee for the certificate of 11.50, with the General Register Office paying the RNIB fee of 25. Local registration offices may also make use of this facility.

Scottish Earnings

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people in Scotland aged between 18 and 21 years earn less than 5.35 an hour;
	(2)  how many people in Scotland aged 16 and 17 earn less than  (a) 5.35 and  (b) 4.45 an hour.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 23 November 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking how many people in Scotland aged 16 and 17 earn less than  (a) 5.35 and  (b) 4.45 an hour and how many people in Scotland aged between 18 and 21 years earn less than 5.35 an hour. I am replying in her absence. (101580, 101582).
	Earnings statistics are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for employees whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period. The standard definition used for ASHE would only include employees on adult rates of pay, however for this analysis employees on trainee and junior rates have been included. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	For estimates of employees falling below hourly earnings levels, the ASHE does not provide counts, but rather provides estimates of the proportion of total employees. The levels of 5.35 and 4.45 are the current levels of the national minimum wage for employees aged 21 and over and employees aged 18-21 years, which came into effect 1 October 2006. However, available estimates are based on the ASHE 2006, which relates to April 2006 when the national minimum wage levels were 5.05 and 4.25. The estimates of the proportion of employees in Scotland aged 16 and 17 years earning less than 5.35 and 4.45 an hour are 75 per cent. and 45 per cent. respectively. The estimate of the proportion of employees in Scotland aged between 18 and 21 years earning less than 5.35 an hour is 38 per cent. Corresponding estimates for 16-17 year olds earning less than 5.05 and 4.25 are 60 per cent. and 38 per cent. respectively, with 20 per cent. of 18-21 year olds earning less than 5.05.
	The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent. sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
	The estimates relate to hourly earnings excluding overtime, which differs from the hourly rate used within the national minimum wage in its treatment of shift premium payments. This is the closest measure to the national minimum wage for which these estimates are available.

Scottish Employment

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Scotland  (a) under the age of 16,  (b) aged 16 and 17 and  (c) aged between 18 and 21 years were in (i) full-time employment, (ii) part-time employment and (iii) temporary employment in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 November 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people in Scotland  (a) under the age of 16,  (b) aged 16 and 17 and  (c) aged between 18 and 21 years were in (i) full-time employment, (ii) part-time
	employment and (iii) temporary employment in the last year for which figures are available. (101581)
	The attached table gives estimates of all employees, permanent and temporary in Scotland, and by age bands, 16 to 17, and 18 to 21 for those whose jobs are full-time or part-time, and covers the three months ending September 2006. The Labour Force Survey (LFS) does not have employment information on those aged under 16.
	Estimates are taken from the LFS. As with any sample survey, estimates are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Employees by age, whether working full or part-time and whether permanent or temporaryScotland, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			  Three months ending September 2006  All employees  Permanent  Temporary 
			  All employees( 1)
			 16-17 48 40 9 
			 18-21 181 150 31 
			  Full-time
			 16-17 21 19 3 
			 18-21 98 86 12 
			  Part-time
			 16-17 27 21 6 
			 18-21 82 64 18 
			 (1) Includes those who did not state whether they worked full or part time.  Note:  Components of table may not add to totals due to rounding.  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Utilities

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which companies supply his Department's  (a) electricity,  (b) telephones,  (c) heating and  (d) water.

John Healey: The information requested is  (a) E-ON Energy,  (b) BT, Cable and Wireless and Global Crossing  (c) OGCbs (the Whitehall District Heating System), and  (d) Thames Water.

PRIME MINISTER

Interim Victims Commissioner

Lady Hermon: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland following the Northern Ireland High Court judgment of 9 November 2006 by Mr. Justice Girvan in the matter of an application by Brenda Downes for judicial review of the appointment of Interim Victims Commissioner;
	(2)  on how many occasions since 2005 a Cabinet Minister has been held by a court in judicial review proceedings of a ministerial decision to have  (a) been motivated by an improper purpose and  (b) acted with a lack of candour;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to ensure compliance with the Ministerial Code following the Northern Ireland High Court judgment of 9 November 2006 by Mr. Justice Girvan in the matter of an application by Brenda Downes for judicial review of the appointment of the Interim Victims Commissioner.

David Lidington: To ask the Prime Minister whether he was consulted in line with the provisions of section 53(d) of the Ministerial Code on the proposed appointment of the Interim Victims Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

Tony Blair: Mr. Justice Girvan has asked the Attorney-General to investigate certain matters relating to the appointment of the Interim Victims Commissioner. The Attorney-General will reply in due course.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions since he has held his present office when he has used  (a) rail services,  (b) the London Underground,  (c) tram or light railway services and  (d) buses in connection with his ministerial duties.

Tony Blair: I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.

Muslim Groups

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Muslim groups which he has contacted over the last five years.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 5W.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Bonus Payments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria a civil servant in her Department must fulfil  (a) to be considered for a bonus on top of their regular salary and  (b) to be awarded a bonus.

Angela Smith: Arrangements for awarding performance bonuses in the Department for Communities and Local Government are as follows:
	Senior civil servants (SCS) can receive bonuses in respect of overall performance and the delivery of agreed personal business objectives or targets. Consideration is based on an assessment of performance in their annual reports and approved by Remuneration Committees, within a pay framework set by the Cabinet Office.
	Non-SCS staff can receive bonus awards upon obtaining an overall exceeded marking, based on an assessment of achievement of objectives in their annual performance reports. Awards are paid as part of the annual pay settlement.
	Staff can also receive a bonus award in respect of exceptional performance on a specific task or at a specific time. Staff are nominated by line management and awards are approved by Head of Unit.

Business Fire Regulations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the new fire regulations for business will be posted on the Department's website.

Angela Smith: Links to the official copy of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 have been on the Department's website since July 2005. We have recently added a further e-link at:
	firesafetyguides.communities.gov.uk.

Council Tax

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many people  (a) were summonsed,  (b) had cases referred to bailiffs and  (c) received custodial sentences for non-payment of council tax in each year since 1996-97; how many council tax bills were issued in each year; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many council tax non-payment cases were referred to bailiffs in each council in England for each year since 1995-96; what percentage this was of total council tax bills in each authority; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The collection and enforcement of council tax is a matter for individual billing authorities. The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect information on billing or enforcement action taken by authorities for non-payment of council tax.
	For information on the number of people committed to prison for non-payment of council tax, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer of the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe) of 10 May 2006,  Official Report, column 315W.

Council Tax

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will estimate the net cost, including the effects on council tax benefit payments, of reducing council tax bills by  (a) 75 per cent. for band A homes,  (b) 50 per cent. for band B homes and  (c) 25 per cent. for band C homes; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The impact of reducing council tax bills by  (a) 75 per cent. for Band A homes,  (b) 50 per cent. for Band B homes and  (c) 25 per cent. for Band C homes is shown in the table.
	These figures assume that tax bills in the unaffected bands remain unchanged. Taking into account the resulting fall in the taxbase, while assuming the amount of gross council tax raised locally and nationally remains the same, local authority Band D bills would rise. This would result in higher bills for properties in all Bands not experiencing a reduction in their bill but in no additional cost to local authorities.
	Note that reducing council tax bills will have no impact on the council tax benefit recipients themselves while on benefit, because it will not alter their net income after housing costs, although it may help them get out of benefit more easily. The savings to the Department for Work and Pensions reflect the proportion of the overall council tax revenue lost that would have been paid for by that Department.
	
		
			   million 
			  Level of reduction  Reduction in council tax revenue  Of which: reduction of DWP expenditure in the form of reduced council tax benefits payments  Net cost 
			  Bills reduced by:
			 75 per cent. for band A homes 2,900 900 2,000 
			 50 per cent. for band B homes 1,800 300 1,500 
			 25 per cent. for band C homes 1,200 200 1,000 
			 Total (all of the above) 5,800 1,500 4,400 
			  Notes: 1. The reduction in council tax revenue was estimated using information on council tax levels for 2006-07 as reported to the Department by local authorities on BR returns and information on numbers of dwellings, discounts and exemptions as at October 2005 as reported to the Department by billing authorities on CTB1 returns. 2. The impact on council tax benefit was estimated using the Policy Simulation Model of the Department for Work and Pensions. This uses data from the 2004-05 Family Resources Survey up-rated to 2006-07 prices, benefit rates and earnings levels, and is calibrated to latest published forecasts and policies. Results are subject to sampling and reporting errors and estimation assumptions, and are therefore indicative only. No behavioural changes are assumed. 3. The amounts are rounded to the nearest 100 million.

Departmental Statistics

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which statistics have been put forward by  (a) her Department and  (b) her predecessor Department for consideration to become new national statistics in each of the last five years; and how many statistics sets (i) her Department and (ii) her predecessor Department has produced in each year.

Angela Smith: The current list of national statistics produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government can be found on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/ns_ons/nsproducts/default.asp
	A list of changes to the scope of National Statistics (additions and withdrawals) in each of the last five years can be found in the relevant National Statistics annual report available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=l 051
	In addition to National Statistics, the Department for Communities and Local Government publishes a wide range of other numerical information in a variety of forms including other data produced from the management and administration of the Department and in research reports. There is no consistent definition of the term statistics sets and no centrally held information on the total published in each year on this basis.

Firefighters' Pension Scheme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  why the new Firefighters' Pension Scheme 2006 is payable from age 60; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  why firefighters' pensions are payable from age 55 under the 1992 scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Firefighters' Pension Scheme 1992 originates from 1948 when the role of a firefighter was restricted to firefighting duties and it was considered appropriate because of the risks of the job to have a minimum pension age of 50 with 25 or more years' service and a compulsory retirement age of 55. However, a number of factors including: the extension of the role of a firefighter to cover, for example, fire safety; improved personal protective equipment and clothing; a better understanding of risk management; and good occupational health services, a normal retirement age of 60 is now justified as a firefighter's life expectancy is now the same as that of the wider population.

Housing

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which housing authorities local authority lettings have been made to households from the EU accession states since May 2004; and if she will break down by local authority the number of households which have been identified as being owed a main homeless duty.

Yvette Cooper: Tables showing the number of local authority lettings made to households from the EU accession states, and the number of households from those states who have been accepted as being owed a main homelessness duty, as reported by each local housing authority in England since May 2004, have been placed in the Library. These figures will include households who have been resident in the UK since before May 2004. Overall, between May 2004 and June 2006 the number of lettings to applicants from the accession states was 0.04 per cent. of total local authority lettings, and the number of homeless acceptances was 0.2 per cent. of total acceptances.

Local Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to expand the number of town and parish councils in urban areas; and how the White Paper on Local Government aims to increase the role of local councils.

Angela Smith: Urban communities across the country already have the right to petition for the creation of parishes if they choose to do so. We will extend that right to communities in London. More generally, the Local Government White Paper sets out our intention to extend the power of well-being to those town and parish councils which satisfy criteria based on the Quality Parish scheme; and to permit local councils to make and enforce their own by-laws.

Local Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the application by areas to become unitary authorities; what the process to apply will be; how applications will be evaluated; and what funding is available to expedite applications.

Angela Smith: The timetable and the application and evaluation process are described in the document Invitations to councils in England sent to all local authorities along side the Local Government White Paper Strong and prosperous communities. Copies are available in the House Libraries.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the occasions since she has held her present office when she has used  (a) rail services,  (b) the London Underground,  (c) tram or light railway services and  (d) buses in connection with her ministerial duties.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not readily available and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	Ministers use public transport wherever possible and practical to complete their journey taking account of security considerations.
	All ministerial travel on official business is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in Travel by Ministers.

Planning

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the role of the Government office for the north-east is in relation to planning.

Angela Smith: The role of Government office for the north-east is to work with stakeholders and local authorities to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the planning system.
	The Government office's primary role on planning includes:
	working with the regional planning body to develop the RSS, on behalf of the Secretary of State. A key responsibility of the Government office during this process is to examine the EiP Panel Report and bring forward the Secretary of State's proposed changes for consultation and further consideration prior to the issue of the final RSS;
	monitoring local authorities' performance in preparing plans and determining planning applications;
	advising local authorities preparing local development frameworks on what they need to do to produce sound strategies; and
	advising Ministers on whether to use their powers to intervene in local development frameworks and planning applications in the light of national policies and any other considerations of more than local importance.

Sirens

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued on the use of sirens by emergency fire tenders during the quiet hours.

Angela Smith: The fitting and use of sirens is controlled by the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Under regulation 37(5)(a) the fitting of sirens is restricted to vehicles used by specific emergency and law enforcement agencies, including the police, fire and rescue service and ambulance service.
	Regulation 99(5)(a) prohibits the use of sirens on a vehicle which is stationary on a road, at any time, other than at times of danger due to another moving vehicle on or near the road, or on a vehicle in motion on a restricted road between 11.30 pm and 7 am the following morning, except for a vehicle which is being used for one of the relevant purposes specified in regulation 37(5)(a) and it is necessary or desirable to do so either to indicate to other road users the urgency of the purposes for which the vehicle is being used, or to warn other road users of the presence of the vehicle on the road.
	Training and guidance on when it is appropriate to use sirens for these purposes is a matter for the individual agencies. We have not issued any guidance to the fire and rescue service as this is an operational matter for individual chief officers.

UK Geographical Information Strategy

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the UK Geographical Information Strategy will be published.

Angela Smith: The UK Geographical Information Strategy, commissioned by the GI Panel, is under development and is expected to be completed in early 2007. No date has yet been set for its publication.

Volunteering

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the voluntary sector about the availability of early retired people to volunteer in future years; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Ministers have had no such recent discussions. However, there has been engagement at official level with representatives of the voluntary sector about the role of older people and volunteering.
	The Department is currently preparing a strategy for defining our engagement with the voluntary and community sector and we are considering the role of volunteering as part of this.

HEALTH

Alcohol Misuse

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on treatment services for alcohol misuse in England in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The alcohol needs assessment research report published in November 2006 identified that 217 million was spent in 2003-04 by primary care trusts and local authorities to support alcohol treatment. This figure also included a limited amount of support from charitable sources.

Breast Cancer Screening

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the case for extending routine invitations to attend NHS breast screening to women aged 70 to 74 years.

Rosie Winterton: There is now clear evidence showing the benefits of breast cancer screening on a population basis for women aged 50 to 70. The evidence for inviting women aged over 70 on a population basis is not so clear.
	That is why research has been commissioned on behalf of the advisory committee on breast cancer screening (ACBCS) to bring more clarity to this area. A final report of the research is due shortly, and based on this the ACBCS will advise on a way forward.
	Women aged over 70 can self-refer for free three-yearly screening and women who have already participated in the programme should be informed of this right after the age of 70.
	The availability of screening for older women is widely publicised. In particular, we have collaborated with Age Concern to produce the leaflet, Over 70? You are still entitled to breast screening. The leaflet is widely available in general practitioner surgeries, health centres, breast screening units and Age Concern outlets and as with Breast ScreeningThe Facts it allows women aged over 70 to make an informed choice on whether to be screened or not.

Communications Professionals

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many communications professionals are planned to be employed in the NHS East of England strategic health authority;
	(2)  what the budget is for the communications team at the NHS East of England strategic health authority.

Andy Burnham: It is for NHS East of England to determine its structure within its budget limitations to ensure that the structure put in place is fit for purpose and value for money.

Connecting for Health

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what a time-limited executive agency is; for how long Connecting for Health is planned to exist as a time-limited executive agency; and what the plans are for the future of Connecting for Health beyond that;
	(2)  what conditions would need to be met to enable her Department to bring the limited time of Connecting for Health to an end.

Caroline Flint: The aim of the national programme for information technology in the national health service is to substantially achieve integration of health and social care information systems in England by 2010. The decision that NHS Connecting for Health should be time-limited is in keeping with this timescale, funding plans announced in the 2002 expenditure review, and when contracts for centrally delivered systems were placed. It is also consistent with plans to locate much of the ownership of the national programme, over time, in local and regional bodies in the NHS.
	The enduring existence of a central NHS IT function will be subject to review comparable to those of the Department's other executive agencies to ensure they continue to be the best means for delivering the Government's objectives.

Dentistry

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in the Hampshire primary care trust area have  (a) signed,  (b) disputed and  (c) refused to sign the new dental contract.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the number of contracts reported as signed, signed in dispute and not signed in Hampshire primary care trust (PCT) in April 2006.
	A contract may be for either a practice or an individual dentist.
	
		
			  Hampshire PCT 
			 Number of contracts signed 195 
			 Number of contracts signed in dispute 43 
			 Number of contracts rejected 52 
		
	
	Primary care trusts are using the funding associated with rejected contracts to commission additional services from other dentists. The current level of re-commissioned services is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Hampshire PCT 
			 Percentage of dental activity (UDAs) associated with rejected contracts 13.5 
			 Number of UDAs associated with rejected contract 109,014 
			 Percentage of UDAs from rejected contracts that have been re-commissioned as of 30 September 2006 51.9

Dentistry

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) adults and  (b) children were registered as NHS patients with dental practices in the Hampshire primary care trust area in each year since 1996.

Rosie Winterton: Registration data are readily available for each year from 1997 onwards.
	This information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  General Dental Services (GDS) and Personal Dental Services (PDS): Patient registrations, by child and adult in England and by PCT within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA, as at 31 March 1997 -2006 
			   1997  1998 
			   Adults  Children  Adults  Children 
			  England 19,797,964 6,617,016 18,739,685 6,857,525 
			  
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 711,332 238,570 668,052 246,551 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 63,524 24,988 58,285 25,520 
			 East Hampshire PCT 60,328 22,336 55,424 22,800 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT 60,342 24,894 55,070 24,508 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 65,739 23,498 62,006 24,096 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 46,557 15,259 45,806 16,128 
			 Mid-Hampshire PCT 72,663 22,242 69,219 23,243 
			 New Forest PCT 80,870 25,206 72,780 25,588 
			 North Hampshire PCT 72,892 27,745 70,786 30,417 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 86,807 23,321 80,823 24,405 
			 Southampton City PCT 101,610 29,081 97,853 29,846 
		
	
	
		
			   1999  2000 
			   Adults  Children  Adults  Children 
			  England 17,255,421 6,996,100 17,227,200 7,033,475 
			  
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 608,764 250,146 593,767 250,581 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 50,888 25,437 49,087 24,836 
			 East Hampshire PCT 49,030 22,814 45,158 22,824 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT 50,986 24,571 49,563 24,782 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 56,256 24,976 53,233 25,014 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 43,292 16,650 41,755 15,835 
			 Mid-Hampshire PCT 64,630 24,277 66,181 25,630 
			 New Forest PCT 66,162 25,794 63,607 25,143 
			 North Hampshire PCT 61,569 29,988 61,307 30,253 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 73,594 25,506 74,052 26,603 
			 Southampton City PCT 92,357 30,133 89,824 29,661 
		
	
	
		
			   2001  2002 
			   Adults  Children  Adults  Children 
			  England 17,279,610 7,001,488 17,280,922 6,982,252 
			  
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 582,899 249,059 578,873 248,081 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 50,411 24,369 51,919 24,827 
			 East Hampshire PCT 42,195 23,015 42,725 23,120 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT 45,448 24,302 49,367 24,985 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 50,531 24,581 50,851 24,407 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 43,777 16,195 41,099 15,176 
			 Mid-Hampshire PCT 65,415 26,084 62,021 25,852 
			 New Forest PCT 64,132 25,366 60,948 24,816 
			 North Hampshire PCT 62,596 30,024 63,305 30,614 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 73,507 26,871 72,473 26,612 
			 Southampton City PCT 84,887 28,252 84,165 27,672 
		
	
	
		
			   2003  2004 
			   Adults  Children  Adults  Children 
			  England 17,064,344 6,840,672 17,373,895 6,963,779 
			  
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 564,418 245,706 533,890 248,623 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 50,976 24,367 52,558 25,164 
			 East Hampshire PCT 39,197 22,282 28,770 20,078 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT 51,380 25,221 52,930 25,166 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 45,079 23,269 41,571 22,186 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 34,355 14,040 31,873 16,193 
			 Mid-Hampshire PCT 63,018 26,397 64,883 27,428 
			 New Forest PCT 61,860 24,870 51,835 24,791 
			 North Hampshire PCT 58,719 30,270 54,681 29,119 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 74,930 27,167 74,900 27,207 
			 Southampton City PCT 84,904 27,823 79,889 31,291 
		
	
	
		
			   2005  2006 
			   Adults  Children  Adults  Children 
			  England 17,236,898 6,890,885 17,670,283 7,044,134 
			  
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 498,024 244,071 479,335 240,816 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 55,169 26,139 51,163 24,490 
			 East Hampshire PCT 26,832 20,187 25,723 19,331 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT 49,410 24,717 45,506 24,634 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 38,791 22,679 40,253 22,733 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 24,415 14,170 27,963 13,592 
			 Mid-Hampshire PCT 63,036 27,059 61,475 27,601 
			 New Forest PCT 43,054 23,638 40,840 23,655 
			 North Hampshire PCT 52,981 29,540 54,305 30,547 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 68,158 25,929 62,336 25,963 
			 Southampton City PCT 76,178 30,013 69,771 28,270 
			  Notes: The postcode of the Dental Practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. PCT  SHA areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics All Fields Postcode Directory. Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. Information on NHS dentistry in the community dental service, in hospitals and in prisons are excluded. The data in this report are based on NHS dentists on PCT lists. These details were passed on to the BSA who paid dentists based on activity undertaken. A dentist can provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the PCT. In some cases an NHS dentist may appear on a PCT list but not perform any NHS work in that period. Most NHS dentists do some private work. The data does not take into account the proportion of NHS work undertaken by dentists. PDS schemes had varying registration periods. To ensure comparability with corresponding GDS data, PDS registrations are estimated using proxy registrations, namely the number of patients seen by PDS practices in the previous 15 months. PDS proxy registrations were not estimated for periods before September 2003 - actual registrations were used before this date. Data for 2003 and earlier do not include those PDS schemes that do not have any registrations (e.g. dental access centres), and is therefore not directly comparable with later data. The boundaries used are as at 31 March 2006. Source: The Information Centre for health and social care NHS Business Services Authority (BSA)

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when she expects to publish her Department's gender equality scheme;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work  (a) in her Department and  (b) for non-Departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which her Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies;
	(3)  what plans she has to carry out gender impact assessments of her Department's major policy developments and new legislation;
	(4)  what steps she is taking to ensure that  (a) her Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which she is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men.

Rosie Winterton: The Department will publish a single equality scheme on 4 December 2006. This scheme will incorporate a revised race equality scheme, a disability equality scheme and a draft gender equality scheme. It will also, but to a lesser extent, include equality issues around age, religion and belief and sexual orientation.
	The discrimination provisions in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply to both the public and private sectors. Gender equality considerations can be built into contracts between public authorities and their private sector contractors where they are relevant to the function or service being carried out.
	The Department is taking an integrated approach to equality impact assessment, and all our major new policies, including those requiring legislation, will be assessed for their impact on equality in terms of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
	To assist non-departmental public bodies, our executive agencies, NHS and social care organisations and us in ensuring that private sector contractors providing goods, works or services on our behalf are aware of their obligations under the general gender equality duty we will refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission's (EOC) Code of Practice of the Gender Equality Duty and any further EOC guidance when available.

Health Care (Non-UK Citizens)

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will collect information centrally on access to NHS healthcare by non-UK citizens; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: We do not have any plans to centrally collect information on access to national health service healthcare by non-United Kingdom citizens.

Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice she has received from the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy in regard to educating children about abortion.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group's (TPIAG) fourth annual reportpublished in September 2006did not include a formal recommendation that children should be educated about abortion.
	However, in the report's foreword, the Chair of TPIAG did say
	'Pregnant young women and their partners need to understand all the options open to them, including abortion, so that they can make an informed decision about whether or not to continue with the pregnancy. We are concerned that PSHE programmes often avoid the subject and do not provide sufficient evidence-based information about abortion, therefore leaving pregnant teenagers ill-equipped to assess abortion as an option. Many myths prevail, including the fact that abortion may lead to infertility, which TPIAG is concerned may be a contributory factor to repeat abortions.'
	The Government's response to TPIAG's report will be published early in 2007.

INPUT Pain Management Unit

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future of the INPUT Pain Management Unit at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the chair of Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. I have written to Patricia Moberly informing her of the hon. Member's inquiry. She will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Macular Degeneration

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will collect centrally the number of patients diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration by primary care trust area; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The majority of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration are treated on an outpatient basis and are not therefore within the scope of Hospital Episodes Statistics data. It is for primary care trusts (PCT) to assess locally the number of patients likely to need different types of eye care services and meet those needs. As part of the current review of ophthalmic services, the Department is working with stakeholders to identify ways of supporting PCTs in commissioning eye care services.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to update Health Service Circular 1999/176, National Institute for Clinical Excellence: initial work programme.

Andy Burnham: It is no longer possible to issue Health Service Circulars (HSCs). The guidance contained in HSC199/176 will be updated and reissued in the form of good practice guidance to the NHS. The guidance will include advice to the NHS on the funding of licensed treatments or new technologies that have not been considered by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. We plan to issue the guidance before the end of this year.

NHS Bill

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the wording of clause 129(2)(c)(ii) of the NHS Bill was changed from that set out in the draft Bill; and what effect she expects the change to have on the granting of a pharmacy contract.

Andy Burnham: The National Health Service Act 2006 consolidates various previous legislative provisions relating to the NHS and fulfils a commitment given in 2001 so to do. Section 129(2)(c)(ii), and the equivalent measure for Wales, set out the conditions under which an application to provide NHS pharmaceutical services may be granted. This is known as the control of entry test.
	It states that an application will only be granted if it is necessary or expedient in order to secure the adequate provision of NHS pharmaceutical services locally. The previous NHS Act 1977 used the terms necessary or desirable. The same terminology was originally adopted in the drafts of the new NHS Act published on the Department's website in February and May 2006.
	Subsequently, the term expedient was used for the Bill as introduced to Parliament in June 2006. This term was adopted in preference to the term desirable to update the language used in, and to ensure legislative consistency within, the new Act. The two terms are interchangeable in meaning. Unless the contrary intention is shown, a consolidation Act is presumed to be a straight consolidation and does not change the law.
	Therefore, as there is no change in the meaning, the new Act, once it comes into force, will not change nor have any effect on the basis on which primary care trusts and health boards are to continue to decide NHS pharmaceutical applications. They will continue to apply the necessary or desirable criteria as set out in the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005 as amended, and the equivalent provisions in Wales.

NHS Blood Products

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new procedures and practices have been implemented by the NHS as a result of the lessons learned from the supply of contaminated NHS blood products.

Caroline Flint: Bio Products Laboratory, part of NHS Blood and Transplant, supplies a range of plasma products to the NHS, along with a number of commercial organisations. Organisations producing plasma products are highly regulated, and have to conform to high standards and strict regulations, like any pharmaceutical organisations.
	In addition, blood safety issues are considered by the committee on the microbiological safety of blood, tissues and organs for transplantation. Where there is significant uncertainty, the committee has adopted a highly precautionary approach towards minimising the risk of infection through treatment. In relation to the possibility of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) transmission through blood and blood products, we have introduced a range of precautionary measures to prevent transmission between patients. For example, plasma derivatives such as clotting factors are obtained from the United States. In addition, we provided funding to extend the availability of synthetic clotting factors to adult haemophilia patients.
	Since the identification of HIV and hepatitis C in the 1980s practice in terms of communications between health professionals and patients, and assessing and communicating the risks of medical treatment has changed significantly.
	Our primary focus is to ensure that we adopt the precautionary principle where there is scientific uncertainty, and to balance the need to communicate information about possible risks and protect public health.

NHS Blood Products

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate her Department has made of the cost of holding a public inquiry into the supply of contaminated NHS blood products to haemophiliacs;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the merits of undertaking a public inquiry into the supply of contaminated NHS blood products to haemophiliacs.

Caroline Flint: The Government have great sympathy for those infected with hepatitis C and has considered the call for a public inquiry very carefully.
	However, as previously stated, the Government do not accept that any wrongful practices were employed and do not consider that a public inquiry is justified. Donor screening for hepatitis C was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1991 and the development of this test marked a major advance in microbiological technology, which could not have been implemented before this time.
	The cost of holding a public inquiry would vary depending on the scope and length of any inquiry.

NHS Direct Website

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of the recent redesign of the NHS Direct website.

Rosie Winterton: The recent redesign of the NHS Direct website was undertaken and paid for by NHS Direct. Information on the total cost of the redesign is not held centrally but may be available from the chairman of NHS Direct Special Health Authority.

Problematic Drug Users

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on commissioning Glasgow University to develop more robust methodology for understanding prevalence of problematic drug users; and when new PDU figures and a new methodology are expected to be published.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	The research to produce estimates of problem drug use (opiate and/or crack cocaine use) and to further develop the methodology for producing such estimates, which is being undertaken by a research team led by Dr. Gordon Hay of the University of Glasgow, has been under way since April 2005. The report of the first sweep of the research project, containing estimates of prevalence of problem drug use for the year 2004-05 and describing the methodology used were published on 23 November 2006.
	The main report forms the second chapter in the Home Office Online report 16/06 'Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments'. It will be available on the RDS area of the Home Office website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/onlinepubs1.html
	Local level estimates for all 149 Drug Action Team areas in England were published in nine separate regional reports on the National Treatment Agency website, also on 23 November:
	http://www.nta.nhs.uk/

Radiotherapy Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the National Radiotherapy Advisory Group to report; and if she will make a statement on the future of NHS radiotherapy services.

Rosie Winterton: The National Radiotherapy Advisory Group (NRAG) is now in the final stages of completing its review and we expect Ministers to receive its findings and recommendations before the end of the year.
	Good progress has been made on improving radiotherapy services. Since 1997 for example, there has been a 53 per cent. increase in clinical oncologists and a 31 per cent. increase in the total number of therapeutic radiographers. The total stock of linear accelerators has also increased from 140 in 1997 to 215 as of August 2006.

Waiting Times

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she is making towards measuring waiting times from routine referral to seeing a specialist in cases where a patient is subsequently diagnosed with  (a) breast cancer and  (b) any other cancer; and what timetable her Department has for measuring such waiting times.

Rosie Winterton: These data are not collected centrally. The NHS is only required to report data to support monitoring of current waiting times standards, including urgent referrals for suspected cancer. The timetable for commencing measurement of routine referrals through to treatment begins in January 2007 to support delivery of the 18 week maximum wait from referral to treatment

Welwyn and Hatfield Hospital

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the effect on planned provision of treatment in Buckinghamshire of the cancellation of the new hospital planned for Welwyn and Hatfield.

Andy Burnham: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been obtained in England and Wales since their introduction.

Vernon Coaker: A table giving the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued within England and Wales since their introduction, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, up to 30 September 2005 (latest available), can be found on the Crime Reduction website at:
	www.crimereduction.gov.uk/asbos2.htm.

Child Pornography

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent work the Task Force for Child Protection on the Internet has undertaken on cartoon child pornography; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Criminal Law Subgroup of the Home Secretary's Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet have been considering a number of issues arising from the availability of cartoons, drawings and computer generated fantasy material depicting the sexual abuse of children.
	The subgroup have considered the extent to which the material is already covered by the criminal law. They have examined information from the police and others on the accessibility of this material, particularly on the internet, and its use by offenders. The subgroup have also considered the approach taken by other countries to regulating this material.

Child Pornography

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of amending the Protection of Children Act 1978 to include cartoon child pornography.

Vernon Coaker: The Criminal Law Subgroup of the Home Secretary's Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet have considered the possibility of amending the Protection of Children Act 1978 as one of the options for dealing with cartoon child pornography. This legislation made it an offence to take, make, distribute or show indecent photographs of real children. Its purpose was to protect children from abuse. It was subsequently extended to cover simple possession of indecent photographs, to reflect concern that possession fuels demand and perpetuates abuse, and to pseudo photographs to cover manipulation of images where, for example, an adult's head can be joined to a child's body. (The resulting image must appear to be a photograph of a child.)
	The age of the child was raised from under 16 to under 18 in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
	Offences under the 1978 Act (as amended) attract substantial penalties to reflect the fact that real children are involved in the making of the material: there is a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment for taking, making and supply of such images and a maximum of five years' imprisonment for possession.
	Although cartoons depicting child abuse are deeply offensive, they do not in themselves constitute abuse of a child. The 1978 Act is well understood by those who work with it and enforce it and there are substantial arguments against extending its scope to cover cartoons of child pornography. We are, however, giving close consideration to the issues and options in this difficult area, including how it has been tackled abroad.

Crime Detection (Technology)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the evaluation of the three GPS satellite tracking pilots for dangerous offenders.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Home Office expect to publish the research evaluation of the satellite tracking pilots in spring 2007.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were received by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in each of the last five years; and how much compensation was paid to claimants in each year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   Number of applications  Amount of compensation paid received by CICA to claimants in each year () 
			 2001-02 78,202 133,320,000 
			 2002-03 73,928 160,325,000 
			 2003-04 70,595 174,440,000 
			 2004 05 66,290 166,945,000 
			 2005-06 63,078 (1)165,000,000 
			 (1 )Unaudited figures at this stage.  Note: The figures given relate to the tariff scheme.

Drink Driving

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists exceeded the alcohol limit while driving in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not available.
	Available information relates only to screening breath tests, and their outcome, and the number of convictions for drink driving offences. Detailed information can be found in the Home Office Statistical Publication Motoring Offences and Breath Test Statistics, England and Wales 2004, issue 05/06, tables 18 and 16(b).
	Copies of the above publication are available in the Library. The publication can also be downloaded from the Home Office RDS website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb0506.pdf.

Illegal Tobacco Sales

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been in  (a) Worthing and  (b) West Sussex for the sale of tobacco to under 16-year-olds since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 21 November 2006
	Information from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for the sale of tobacco to under 16-year-olds, in  (a) Worthing and  (b) West Sussex local criminal justice areas from 2000-04, are provided in the attached table. During this period, Worthing local criminal justice area was incorporated into West Sussex local criminal justice area.
	Data for 2005 will be available in late November.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for the illegal sale of tobacco to persons under 16( 1, 2) 
			   2937 Worthing and District Local Criminal Justice Area  2949 Sussex (Western) Local Criminal Justice Area 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 2000 1 1  . 
			 2001 
			 2002 
			 2003   1 1 
			 2004   5 2 
			 (1) Principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Kent County Council Act

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made in consulting on the efficacy of the Kent County Council Act 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: We are proposing to launch a consultation shortly on the findings of the report on the Kent Acts. The consultation will seek views on whether the regulatory aspects of the Kent Acts have wider application, outlining a range of options for effective engagement with second hand goods traders to reduce the market for stolen goods.

Primates

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to support a ban on primate experiments as part of the European Commission's review of Directive 86/609; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which overseas primate breeding facilities were visited by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate in 2005 and 2006;
	(3)  if he will take steps to prevent imports of primates from countries where primates live indigenously;
	(4)  if he will revoke approval for Nafovanny to export primates to the UK.

Joan Ryan: The United Kingdom has no plans to propose measures to end or restrict the use or supply of non-human primates in scientific procedures as part of the current revision of EU Directive 86/609. The development of new drugs and medical and veterinary technologies is still dependent on the information and insights derived from the well designed, properly conducted and carefully regulated use of animals, including primates. There is no immediate prospect of an end to the use of primates while the benefits to humans, animals and the environment outweigh the costs to the animals involved and until there are suitable alternatives available.
	We also have no plans to introduce a unilateral ban on the importation of primates from countries with indigenous non-human primate populations as it would close off the supply and use of second generation captive-bred animals from such countries even where the production of such animals for use in the United Kingdom is not dependent on the taking of animals from the wild. Such a ban would also raise potentially complex legal issues with respect to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and European Community Law. The importation of non-human primates is an issue on which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the lead Government Department. The controls in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 relate only to the use of such animals.
	Except where the information is already in the public domain, it is not our practice to identify overseas sources of non-human primates. We believe that the activities of the small number of extremists involved in the intimidation of suppliers and licensed establishments provide clear grounds for maintaining this approach. However, I can confirm that during 2005 and 2006 the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate (ASPI) visited four overseas non-human primate breeding or supplying centres in the Netherlands, Vietnam and China.
	We do not consider the removal of approved status from Nafovanny to provide non-human primates for use in the United Kingdom to be necessary at this time. Nafovanny's two main facilities in Long Thanh, Vietnam, have periodically supplied non-human primates (generally second generation captive bred animals) for use in the United Kingdom. However, after an Inspectorate visit in the spring of 2005 identified shortcomings in animal accommodation and care we informed the breeding centre that once pending orders for animals for use in the United Kingdom were supplied, its status as an approved centre would cease. By the end of 2005 we had received reassurances and evidence that significant improvements had been made. Subject to being satisfied that further additional safeguards and welfare-related measures are in place, we believe it should be able to meet the standards we would expect of such a centre. Should Nafovanny wish to continue to supply animals for use in the United Kingdom we will revisit the relevant facilities.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inspections have been carried out in HM Prisons by human rights and associated organisations in the last six years; and what the  (a) duration and  (b) purpose was of each inspection.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) conducts regular inspections of all prisons in England and Wales and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (ECPT) also has the right to enter and inspect prisons in the UK.
	HMCIP conducts full inspections of adult prisons every five years. In addition, risk-assessed follow-up inspections will take place in between this cycle. Full inspections generally last for five days and short follow- up inspections three days.
	The purpose of HMCIP inspections is to inspect the treatment and conditions of prisoners. The inspectorate uses its own published inspection criteria, called expectations, which are informed by internal service standards and instructions, as well as international legal instruments and court judgments. Further information on the purpose of HMCIP inspections, inspection duration and frequency and copies of inspection reports are available on the Inspectorate's website:
	http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/.
	The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture has made six visits to UK prisons and other places of detention in the last six years:
	4-16 February 2001: to examine the treatment of persons detained in prisons and other places of detention in England and Wales
	17-21 February 2002: to examine the treatment of suspected terrorists in Belmarsh and Highdown prisons and other places of detention in England
	12-23 May 2003: to examine the treatment of persons detained in prisons and other places of detention in England, Scotland and the Isle of Man
	14-19 March 2004: to examine the treatment of suspected terrorists in Belmarsh and Woodhill prisons and other places of detention in England
	11-15 July 2005: to examine the treatment of suspected terrorists in Belmarsh prison and other places of detention in England, and to monitor the treatment and conditions of detention of a person convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who is serving his sentence in the United Kingdom
	20-25 November 2005: to examine the treatment of persons held under the Immigration Act 1971 in Full Sutton and Long Lartin prisons and other places of detention in England
	Further details of all six visits can be accessed on the committee's website:
	http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/states/gbr.htm.
	The Committee is mandated to examine, by means of visits, the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty with a view to strengthening, if necessary, the protection of such persons from torture and from inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether HM Inspectorate of Prisons inspections are accompanied by human rights organisations observers.

Gerry Sutcliffe: At the discretion of the Chief Inspector, and with the permission of the institution to be inspected, observers are occasionally allowed to attend inspections. These observers have included people from a wide range of domestic and international bodies with an interest in the treatment and conditions of prisoners.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) escapes have been made from and  (b) deaths have occurred at each prison in the Metropolitan Police District area in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: escapes from metropolitan police district area prisons 
			  Prison  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006( 1) 
			 Belmarsh
			 Brixton   1 
			 Feltham  1  
			 Holloway
			 Latchmere House
			 Pentonville 1   
			 Wandsworth
			 Wormwood Scrubs
			 (1) Year to date.  Note: The above figures show escapes from establishments and exclude those under escort. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: deaths in custody including self-inflicted, natural and other causes 
			  Prison  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006( 1) 
			 Belmarsh 2 1 3 6 3 4 1 
			 Brixton 5 2 2 1 3 1 5 
			 Feltham 2 1  
			 Holloway 1 1 1 1 3 2  
			 Latchmere House   1 
			 Pentonville 2 6 5 1 3 5 1 
			 Wandsworth 8 4 3 4 2 7 1 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 2 1 1 4 3 4 3 
			 Total 22 16 16 17 17 23 11 
			 (1) Year to date.  Notes: 1. The deaths shown here include all those arising from incidents in prisons. For example, a prisoner who attempted suicide in a prison but actually died later in hospital would be included. Similarly for any prisoners who had, say, an initial heart attack in prison. 2. Year to date figures include deaths in custody up to 21 November 2006.

Prisons

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers employed at HMP Wymott in the last five years have  (a) left to work at other prisons and  (b) left the Prison Service.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Between April 2001 and March 2006, a total of 25 officer grade staff transferred from Wymott prison to other prisons and 29 left the Prison Service from Wymott.

Prisons

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the establishment level of prison officers is at HMP Wymott; what the budget is for that prison in 2006-07; and what the estimated overspend is at the prison in the 2006-07 financial year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The target staffing figure, as at November 2006, for uniformed and operational support grades (OSG) is 323, comprising 208 officers, 35 Senior Officers, 11 Principal Officers and 69 OSGs.
	The current budget for Wymott for 2006-07 is 20,655,622.00. Wymott prison is currently predicting an overspend of 600,000.

Prisons

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prison officers who are taking paid leave may perform bedwatch duties and receive payment for this duty in addition to their leave pay.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Payment cannot be made for bedwatch duty during paid leave, which for health and safety reasons is protected. If a bedwatch takes place, leave must be cancelled and the shift re-instated and treated as if no leave had been booked.

Prisons

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will convert hours owed in leave for prison officers at HMP Wymott into pay if officers are not allowed to take time in lieu.

Gerry Sutcliffe: All officers are entitled to their full leave commitment during the leave year and they can carry over nine days each year to the next leave year. It is not anticipated that any member of staff will have difficulties in taking their leave. Therefore no payment is necessary.

Probation Officers

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers were employed in  (a) 1996 and  (b) 2006; how many support staff they had in each year; how many clients were on probation in each year; and how many of those on probation were prisoners on release who had been convicted of crimes against the person in each year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: As at 31 December 1996, the total number of offenders being supervised by the Probation Service was 170,852. Of these 3,922 were offenders released from prison who had been convicted of violence against the person offences.
	As at 31 December 2005 (latest published data) the total number of offenders being supervised by the Probation Service was 224,094. Of these 5,098 were offenders released from prison who had been convicted of violence against the person offences.
	To align with the information provided on offenders, as at 31 December 2005 the number of staff in post was:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Senior Probation Officers 1,211 
			 Senior Practitioners 374 
			 Probation Officers 5,309 
			 Trainee Probation Officers 1,387 
			 Probation Service Officers 6,235 
			 Administrative Staff (Operational) 2,845 
			 All other Staff Groups 3,223 
			 Total 20,584 
		
	
	Due to the process by which information was collated prior to 2003, we do not have the requested information for 1996.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects the Sentencing Guidelines Council to review its guidelines in respect of prolific and persistent offenders; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The principles that the court must follow when determining the seriousness of an offence are set out in statute. Any previous convictions, where they are recent and relevant, should be regarded as an aggravating factor which should increase the severity of the sentence. The Sentencing Guidelines published a guideline on Overarching Principles: Seriousness in December 2004. There are no plans to review this guideline at present.

Shoplifting

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Sentencing Guidelines Council on sentences for convicted shoplifters; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has not met the Sentencing Guidelines Council (SGC) to discuss sentences for convicted shoplifters.

Shoplifting

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted for shoplifting in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997; and how many people received  (a) custodial sentences,  (b) fixed penalty notices,  (c) community orders and  (d) police cautions for shoplifting in Cambridgeshire in each year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The requested court proceedings data are provided in the following table.
	In addition to this, the penalty notice for disorder (PND) scheme, brought into effect in all police forces in England and Wales in 2004, gives the police powers to issue persons believed to be committing offences of shoplifting with an 80 fixed penalty notice. No admission of guilt is required and payment of the penalty discharges all liability for the offence. The number of PNDs issued for shoplifting in the Cambridgeshire police force area were six in 2004, 148 in 2005 and 116 in 2006January to June provisional.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned and persons found guilty of 'theft from shop', with sentence breakdowns  Cambridgeshire police force area, 1997 to 2004( 1, 2) 
			  Of which: 
			   Cautioned  Found guilty  Sentenced  Community sentence  Immediate custody  Otherwise dealt with  Other( 3) 
			 1997 450 502 503 96 35 5 367 
			 1998 411 594 591 118 56 16 401 
			 1999 433 704 701 120 82 14 485 
			 2000 532 872 869 238 101 14 516 
			 2001 430 895 897 264 122 15 496 
			 2002 428 857 853 330 97 14 412 
			 2003 420 791 791 281 113 15 382 
			 2004 550 717 716 272 86 15 343 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) Includes defendants fined and given an absolute/conditional discharge.   Source:  RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Suspended Sentences

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of offenders given custodial sentences in  (a) Crown and  (b) magistrates courts in England and Wales have had their sentences suspended in each of the last 12 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested, relating to England and Wales for 2004, the latest year for which final court sentencing figures are published, is contained in the table. Final statistics for 2005 are due for publication towards the end of January.
	
		
			  Persons sentenced to immediate custody and suspended sentences, England and Wales, 2004 
			   Magistrates courts  The Crown court 
			  Month  Immediate custody  Fully suspended sentence  Percentage suspended  Immediate custody  Fully suspended sentence  Percentage suspended 
			 January 5,385 99 1.8 3,663 134 3.5 
			 February 5,435 96 1.7 3,837 123 3.1 
			 March 5,958 120 2.0 4,411 132 2.9 
			 April 5,150 76 1.5 4,008 119 2.9 
			 May 4,824 97 2.0 3,475 128 3.6 
			 June 5,115 96 1.8 3,544 132 3.6 
			 July 5,160 125 2.4 3,945 124 3.0 
			 August 4,974 108 2.1 3,287 112 3.3 
			 September 5,098 141 2.7 3,545 128 3.5 
			 October 5,031 119 2.3 3,877 135 3.4 
			 November 5,041 123 2.4 4,017 166 4.0 
			 December 4,213 100 2.3 3,329 122 3.5 
			 Total 2004 61,384 1,300 2.1 44,938 1,555 3.3 
			  Note: Although care is taken in collating and analysing the returns used to compile these figures, the data are of necessity subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Consequently, although figures are shown to the last digit in order to provide a comprehensive record of the information collected, they are not necessarily accurate to the last digit shown.  Source:  RDS-NOMS, Home Office

Tax Credit Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking in conjunction with HM Revenue and Customs to reduce suspected organised fraud of the tax credits system.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs document Tackling Error and Fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits, which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk, and in particular to paragraphs 43 and 44.

Wildlife Crime

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training has been given or is planned for staff within the Crown Prosecution Service relating to prosecution of cases of wildlife crime.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) takes wildlife crime seriously. There are 31 specialist wildlife co-ordinators across the CPS and guidance on prosecuting wildlife cases is provided to all CPS prosecutors.
	Although there is no specific training on wildlife crime, information and best practice is disseminated to these prosecutors through a number of ways. Earlier this year, the CPS in conjunction with the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime (PAW) held a training seminar which involved experienced prosecutors participating in mock trials to highlight issues that commonly arise during wildlife prosecutions.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many times control and restraint was used to strip search juvenile  (a) boys and  (b) girls in each young offender institution in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006;
	(2)  how many times control and restraint was used on juveniles in each young offender institution in each month in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2006; and how many juveniles concerned were black and minority ethnic.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to visit Afghanistan.

Kim Howells: My foreign engagements and those for Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers of State are kept under constant review. It is not our practice to announce visits to Afghanistan in advance.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist for the co-ordination of US and UK counter-narcotics strategies in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The UK and US both support the Afghan Government's National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS). The Afghan Government coordinate their counter narcotics strategy through the Cabinet Committee on Counter Narcotics. At the working level, Ministry of Counter Narcotics led working groups coordinate support for the implementation of the NDCS from Afghan Ministries and the international community, including the UK and US. On a bilateral level, we maintain close contact with the US. This includes daily contact between UK and US embassies in Kabul and frequent contact between London and Washington.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the last annual review under the terms of the Enduring Relationship Declaration between the UK and Afghanistan took place; what the findings of the review were; and what priorities were agreed for the next period.

Margaret Beckett: The first annual review of the Enduring Relationship Declaration is currently in progress. The Action Plan under consideration by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of this review, is looking at the five strands of assistance outlined in the declaration: political and economic; security; counter-narcotics; development; and education and media.

Afghanistan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many individuals were arrested as a consequence of their involvement in the Afghanistan drugs trade in each of the last two years; and what further steps are planned to be taken to arrest the leaders of the trade, with particular reference to those who are known to the authorities.

Kim Howells: From May 2005 to October 2006, Afghan drugs law enforcement agencies arrested over 720 individuals involved in the drugs trade. Over the same period the Counter Narcotics Criminal Justice Task Force completed over 270 cases resulting in over 290 convictions for drug related offences. Before this time no official record of arrests connected with the drugs trade was held.
	Targeting the trafficker is a key priority of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy, launched at the London Conference on Afghanistan in January 2006. The UK is helping to develop the capacity of Afghan drugs law enforcement agencies to gather intelligence, and interdict and investigate drug trafficking networks. We are also supporting the continued development of the Counter Narcotics Criminal Justice Task Force to ensure it has the capacity to prosecute the leaders of the drugs trade and those involved in facilitating the trade.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Burmese state company Myanmar Timber Enterprise is not included in Annex IV (List of Burmese state-owned enterprises referred to in article 8(a)) of the EU Common Position on Burma.

Ian McCartney: Article 5.5(a) and (b) of the EU Common Position on Burma refers to a list of state-owned companies subject to financial sanctions. This list appears in Annex II of the Common Position. The list is agreed within the EU by consensus. No consensus has been reached on adding Myanmar Timber Enterprises to the list.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government are providing diplomatic support to the efforts of other EU member states to add Myanmar Timber Enterprise to the EU list of Burmese state-owned companies during the review of the EU Common Position in April 2007.

Ian McCartney: The UK will continue to work for the strongest achievable targeted measures in the EU Common Position, which is adopted by unanimity, and will remain in close contact with EU partners to establish which State-owned enterprises should be included on the list of companies subject to sanctions under the Common Position.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government are providing diplomatic support to the efforts of other EU member states to decrease imports of Burmese timber into the EU.

Ian McCartney: The UK supports the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan which envisages Voluntary Partnership Agreements with individual countries to promote trade in legally produced timber. Burma is not a FLEGT Partner Country and its timber exports are therefore not promoted under this scheme. In the UK, the Government maintains a long-standing policy of discouraging British companies from trading with Burma.

China

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with China on counter-proliferation in respect of missiles; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We are engaged in regular discussions with China on counter-proliferation issues, including in respect of missiles. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary continues to discuss these issues with Chinese colleagues, most notably the threat posed by Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), further to the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1696 (Iran) and 1695 (DPRK).
	Countering the threat of missile proliferation remains one of the Government's strategic priorities, particularly where such proliferation might contribute to the delivery of weapons of mass destruction.

Cluster Munitions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the banning of the  (a) manufacture and  (b) use of cluster munitions; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 21 November 2006
	The UK is committed to phasing out its 'dumb' cluster munitions and is also encouraging other countries to do so. We led and achieved consensus at the recent Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Review Conference for governmental experts to consider urgently existing International Humanitarian Law and the reliability of cluster munitions and report back to the CCW within 12 months. This process will include the main users and producers of cluster munitions and is an essential preliminary step towards any negotiations on a new legally binding protocol which may include manufacture, stockpiling, use and transfer.

Cluster Munitions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definitions the Government uses of  (a) smart cluster munitions and  (b) dumb cluster munitions.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 21 November 2006
	There is no internationally agreed definition of cluster munitions or any variant. However, we plan to phase out what we understand to be 'dumb' cluster munitions. These house numerous sub-munitions with an explosive content. Additionally, they either do not have a target discriminatory capability or a self destruct, neutralisation or deactivating capability in the event of failing to detonate prior to, on or immediately after impact with the target.

Cluster Munitions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which  (a) makes and  (b) models of cluster munitions the Government defines as (i) smart and (ii) dumb.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 21 November 2006
	There is no internationally agreed definition of cluster munitions or any variant. The UK understanding of 'dumb' cluster munitions is that they contain numerous sub-munitions with an explosive content. Additionally, they do not have a target discriminatory capability or they do not have a self destruct, neutralisation or deactivating capability in the event of failing to detonate prior to, on or immediately after impact with the target. In this context, the term 'smart' is not defined. Variants of the cluster munitions within operational stocks held by the UK that fall within our understanding of dumb cluster munitions are:
	Air Delivered RBL 755
	Ground launched MLRS M26
	The UK holds other munitions which contain submunitions, but which we do not consider to fall within the term dumb.
	Ground launched Extended Range Bomblet Shell L20A1
	Multi Purpose Sub-Munition CRV-7.

Cluster Munitions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have ratified Protocol V of the Connections on certain conventional weapons; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 21 November 2006
	The UK fully intends to ratify Protocol V as soon as possible. The UK already adopts the principles enshrined within Protocol V to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that Explosive Remnants of War remaining after conflict are cleared.

Commonwealth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of compliance by Commonwealth member states with the Commonwealth values, with particular reference to  (a) governance,  (b) independence of the judiciary,  (c) the rule of law and  (d) fundamental human rights; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Harare Commonwealth Declaration of 1991 sets out Commonwealth values and principles including governance, independence of the judiciary, rule of law and human rights. The UK works jointly with other members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration to resolve serious and persistent issues of non-compliance.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to  (a) Russia,  (b) China and  (c) the Republic of Korea (i) directly to Foreign Ministries and (ii) through the United Kingdom Ambassador to the United Nations requesting full implementation of United Nations Sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim Howells: The UK is committed to the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718 (2006) in relation to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Our embassies in Moscow, Beijing and Seoul, in addition to other key capitals, are in direct contact with their host Governments to discuss how the measures can be implemented effectively and fully, in line with the terms of the Resolution.
	As a permanent member of the Security Council the UK is also a member of the Sanctions Committee created to monitor implementation. The UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations has regular dialogue with his Russian and Chinese opposite numbers. The mission staff have regular contacts with all Council members and with the Republic of Korea regarding the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1718.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the willingness of  (a) Russia,  (b) China and  (c) the Republic of Korea to implement full United Nations sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim Howells: As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Russia and China voted in favour of Resolution 1718 (2006) in relation to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Both countries, together with the Republic of Korea, have also reported promptly to the Sanctions Committee created to monitor implementation and have set out what action they are taking to implement the resolution effectively. The UK is currently discussing with key partners, including Russia, China and the Republic of Korea how to ensure implementation can be achieved fully.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the US Administration on a policy for containing nuclear technology in North Korea.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to the US Secretary of State on a number of occasions over the last few months on issues relating to the handling of North Korea, including in the wake of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) claimed nuclear test. Both agreed that the test was a clear threat to international peace and security and on the need for a robust response from the UN Security Council. The subsequent UN Security Resolution 1718 (2006), unanimously adopted by the Council on 14 October, condemns the announced nuclear test and outlines sanctions which include a ban on the export to DPRK of nuclear and ballistic-missile goods and technologies, a ban on the export of arms to DPRK, a ban on technical assistance and advice related to all these items and a ban on the export by DPRK of proliferation-sensitive goods and technologies. The sanctions also provide for the freezing of assets of individuals and entities supporting DPRK's nuclear and ballistic-missile programmes and a travel ban on those individuals. The UK is fully committed to the implementation of these sanctions.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence her Department has seen that countries have sold ballistic technology to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim Howells: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is not fully self-sufficient in this field, requiring the import of raw materials, specialised components and equipment in support of their missile development and production programmes, for both indigenous use and export. We therefore conclude that the DPRK has acquired missile technology from abroad in some form. It is not Government policy, however, to comment on specific intelligence matters.

Egypt

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the treatment by the Egyptian authorities of Muslims who convert to Christianity.

Kim Howells: Egypt is an Islamic country and religious conversion is a sensitive issue. The Egyptian Government does not interfere with the practice of other religions, but encouraging conversion is illegal. We are aware that some of those who convert to Christianity face difficulties and when we are made aware of these cases we raise our concerns with the Egyptian authorities.
	The UK is committed to promoting tolerance and mutual respect between religions. We are aware that there are isolated incidents of violence against the Coptic Christian community in Egypt and where appropriate, along with EU partners and others, we raise our concerns about these incidents with the Egyptian authorities. We also discuss these incidents with the Coptic Church in Egypt.

EU Directives and Regulations

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many EU  (a) directives,  (b) decisions and  (c) regulations have been enacted in the UK in each year since 2002.

Geoff Hoon: The following table shows the number of EU directives, decisions and regulations enacted in the UK in each year since 2002. This does not include legislation repealed or expired.
	
		
			   Directives  Decisions  Regulations 
			 2002 193 667 766 
			 2003 121 599 837 
			 2004 107 512 858 
			 2005 116 685 633 
			  Source: House of Commons Library, Standard Note: SN/IA/2888, last updated 25 July 2006.

International Security

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's significant reservations are about the proposals by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe for  (a) the regulation of the security services,  (b) civil and state aircraft and  (c) state immunity.

Kim Howells: The Government believe that domestic legislation and international legal instruments already exist to deal satisfactorily with the concerns raised by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe. The activities of the British security and intelligence agencies are governed by domestic legislation. Civil and state aircraft and state immunity are governed by customary international law and by treaties, including the Chicago Convention and the 2004 UN Convention on the Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property. We see no need to create new mechanisms.

Iran

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Iran on its nuclear programme; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We remain deeply concerned by Iran's nuclear programme. Ministers and senior officials are in regular contact with the Iranian authorities. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed this and other areas of concern when she met the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manuchehr Mottaki, on 19 September, and I did so when I met the Iranian Ambassador to London on 12 September.
	Iran has not met the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and the UN Security Council, including a full suspension of all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities. This is essential to build confidence that the intentions of Iran's nuclear programme are exclusively peaceful.
	We remain committed to a negotiated solution, and regret that Iran has not taken the steps that would enable negotiations to begin on the basis of the proposals presented in June by Javier Solana on behalf of the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China). These proposals would form the basis of a long-term agreement: they offer Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power industry in return for restoring international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.
	We are determined that Iran should comply fully with its obligations. E3+3 Foreign Ministers met in London on 6 October and agreed that Iran's failure to address IAEA Board and Security Council Resolutions, and to take the steps that would enable a return to negotiations, leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council Resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council.

Iran

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the introduction of a sanctions regime against Iran.

Kim Howells: Ministers and senior officials are in frequent contact with their counterparts about Iran's nuclear programme. The Foreign Ministers of the 'E3+3' (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China) met in London on 6 October and agreed that Iran's failure to address International Atomic Energy Agency Board and Security Council Resolutions, and to take the steps that would enable a return to negotiations, leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council Resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently discussed Iran with her EU counterparts on 17 October and 13 November.

Iran

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department has had with the Iranian authorities regarding  (a) the conduct of the trials of Ahwazi Arabs and  (b) the recent sentencing of 11 men to death by the Revolutionary Court; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We have been closely monitoring the case of the Ahwazi Arabs, who have been sentenced to death recently for their alleged role in terrorist activities in Ahwaz, last year.
	We oppose and condemn the death penalty in all its forms. In this case, we have specific concerns about the conduct of the trial including whether it was held secretly behind closed doors; whether a jury was present; and whether the defendants had adequate access to lawyers before the trial.
	The presidency of the EU raised our concerns about this case with the Director General of the International Department of the Judiciary on 20 November and highlighted the EU's long-standing objection to the death penalty in all its forms. We will continue to monitor this case closely with EU colleagues.

Iraq

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what relationship the US-Iraq high-level working group on security announced in Washington on 28 October will have to the existing Joint Committee on Transfer Security Responsibility; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what role the UK will have in the US-Iraq high-level working group on security announced in Washington on 28 October; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Joint Committee on Transfer Security Responsibility's job is to conduct the conditions-based assessment for the transition of provincial security responsibility from the Multi-National ForceIraq (MNF-I) to the Iraqi security force. The High Level Working Group (HLWG) is an additional body, which will be looking at ways to accelerate the pace of training of the Iraqi security forces, Iraqi assumption of command and control over Iraqi forces, and transferring responsibility for security to the Government of Iraq.
	The MNF-I, of which the UK is a member, will play a key role in the HLWG and its committees.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government was invited to make a submission to the Iraq Study Group in the United States.

Margaret Beckett: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed Iraq with the group via video link on 14 November. Our Ambassador in Washington has also spoken to the Group, as has our Ambassador in Baghdad.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will publish a transcript of the evidence given to the Iraq Study Group in the United States via video-link by the Prime Minister.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's official spokesman on 14 November 2006. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website at: http://pm.gov.uk/output/Pagel0421.asp. A copy will also be placed in the Library of the House.

Middle East

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the government of Israel on its military incursions in Gaza; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The UK frequently makes its concerns known to the Government of Israel about the consequences of its military operations in Gaza. Most recently, our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised specific concerns about the incident in Beit Hanoun on 8 November, in which a number of Palestinian civilians were tragically killed. As I said on 8 November, Israel must respect its obligation to avoid harming civilians.

Middle East

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what fora the United States security co-ordinator's plans to deliver tangible improvements in the day-to-day lives of Palestinians will be reported; what the plans involve; and when they are expected to be implemented.

Margaret Beckett: We continue to work very closely with the United States Security Co-ordinator, General Keith Dayton, including through seconding a military liaison officer to his team. General Dayton has been particularly focused on securing the reliable opening of the Kami crossing point between Israel and Gaza. The detail of his proposals has not yet been finalised. When the plans have been agreed with the parties, we expect them to be endorsed by the Quartet. General Dayton has also recently established the Security Committee envisaged under the Access and Movement Agreement of November 2005.

Middle East

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to  (a) the Prime Minister of Israel and  (b) the Palestinian President on military operations in Gaza; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The UK frequently makes its concerns known to the Government of Israel about the consequences of its military operations in Gaza. Following the incident at Beit Hanoun on 8 November I issued a statement saying that Israel must respect its obligation to avoid harming civilians. Our embassy in Tel Aviv also raised our concerns about the incident with the Government of Israel. On 10 November I discussed the violence in Gaza with President Abbas by telephone. I offered him my condolences, and encouraged his efforts to end the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, as well as to form a new Palestinian Government based on the three Quartet Principles. I also discussed the matter with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, on 21 November.

Middle East

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions have been taken following the discussions held in Paris, Rome, Brussels, Beirut, Washington and New York on security sector reform in Lebanon; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Since a team of UK security sector experts made a tour of capitals in early September my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the UK had set aside resources for the training and equipping of the Lebanese security forces. This has been set at 2.5 million. As part of this, the Ministry of Defence laid a minute before the House indicating the UK's intention to provide 50 Land Rovers to the Lebanese armed forces. The UK has also been instrumental in setting up a co-ordination group in Beirut to liaise with the Government of Lebanon and ensure their needs are met in a structured and coherent way. The UK continues to co-ordinate closely with our international partners on efforts to assist the Lebanese security forces to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. We hope this will include particular attention to the land border with Syria. The UK will work with EU partners to help the Government of Lebanon, should assistance be requested.

Middle East

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to implement UN Resolution 1701 and help secure the release of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

Kim Howells: UN Security Council Resolution 1701 is aimed at assisting the Government of Lebanon to exert full sovereignty and control over its territory. To this end, the UK has committed 2.5 million to provide the Government of Lebanon with security sector assistance to allow it to exercise full control of its territory. As part of this the UK is in the process of giving 50 Land Rovers to the Lebanese armed forces. We also called on the international community to take immediate steps to extend its financial and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people. We are also working closely with other international partners on co-ordinating security assistance. The UK has contributed 22.3 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance.
	We have offered the Government of Israel assistance in securing the release of the two Israeli soldiers. We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Mrs. Goldwasser on 21 November.

Ministerial Responsibilities

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Minister for Europe's responsibilities are; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The responsibilities of all Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers can be found on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk. Those of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe, (Mr. Hoon) include the EU and Europe; Russia, south Caucasus and central Asia; the Balkans; Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova; the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe; and NATO.

Mr. Paul Murphy

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the responsibilities are of the right hon. Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) in his role as the Government's special representative to Sri Lanka; with whom he will hold meetings in that capacity; and what the objectives are of his role.

Kim Howells: I must make clear that my right hon. Friend the member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) has not been appointed as a special representative. He himself stressed this to his interlocutors and to the media while in Sri Lanka. His visit came about following discussions between my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Rajapakse of Sri Lanka in August in which, it was felt that some sharing of our experience with the Northern Ireland peace process might be of help and encouragement to all parties. In line with this, my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen, accompanied by a senior official of the Northern Ireland Office, visited Sri Lanka from 14 to 16 November. While there, he met with a range of key participants in the Sri Lankan peace process including the President, Sri Lankan Government Ministers and political representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He also talked about the UK's experiences of Northern Ireland with a wide variety of other Sri Lankans, including the media. We hope that my right hon. Friend's efforts, which were much appreciated by all concerned, will be of some help in the pursuit of peace for all the people of Sri Lanka.

Russia

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Russia on counter-proliferation in respect of missiles; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We are engaged in regular discussions with Russia on counter-proliferation issues, including in respect of missiles. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary continues to discuss these issues with Russian colleagues, most notably the threat posed by Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), further to the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1696 (Iran) and 1695 (DPRK).
	Countering the threat of missile proliferation remains one of the Government's strategic priorities, particularly where such proliferation might contribute to the delivery of weapons of mass destruction.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 of 2004 on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and if she will make a statement on the role of  (a) the International Atomic Energy Agency and  (b) the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in implementing this resolution.

Kim Howells: The United Kingdom is a staunch supporter of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 in the Security Council, on the 1540 Committee and internationally. National implementation of UNSCR 1540 is almost complete and work is in hand to bring into effect outstanding elements (e.g. enactment of primary legislation to ratify the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material). The UK's first national report to the 1540 committee offered assistance to those who wanted help implementing UNSCR 1540. We are engaged in a number of outreach efforts on export control to this end. Much of the UK's work under the Global Partnership assists directly to implement UNSCR 1540.
	The UK has also co-sponsored and participated in the first regional seminar on promoting 1540 implementation, which took place in Buenos Aires in September 2005. Further seminars have been organised and UK participation, whether direct, through EU sponsorship, or both, remains a priority.
	The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, as international and regional organisations, were mentioned in preambular paragraph 10 of the resolution. This recognised the need for these organisations to enhance co-ordination in response to the serious challenges and threats to international security posed by weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. The UK supports such complementary efforts to promote effective implementation.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the section of the Queen's Speech on strengthening the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), what her assessment is of the possible effects of NATO's  (a) nuclear sharing policy and  (b) nuclear first-use policy on the proliferation of nuclear weapons; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: NATO nuclear policy is well-established. The fundamental purpose of NATO's nuclear forces is political: to preserve peace and prevent coercion. Since the height of the cold war NATO has reduced the number of sub-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe by over 95 per cent. The remaining US nuclear weapons based in Europe are in the sole possession, and under constant and complete custody and control, of the United States. These arrangements for basing US nuclear weapons in Europe are fully compatible with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
	NATO does not follow either a nuclear first-use or no-first-use policy. As the nature and scope of potential conflicts cannot be predicted, the Alliance does not pre-determine how it would react to military aggression. It leaves this question open and in so doing ensures uncertainty in the mind of any potential aggressor about the nature of the allies' response.
	There is no evidence to suggest that either aspect of NATO nuclear policy provides a motivating factor in the proliferation of nuclear weapons.